Prosperity × 3. The most popular lucky price and phone ending
Lucky Money & prosperity
What does 888 mean in Chinese?
In Mandarin, 888 is read bā bā bā ≈ fā fā fā, and it sounds like 发发发. Prosperity × 3. The most popular lucky price and phone ending Chinese speakers use numbers like this because most digits sound like everyday words. That is why number meanings shape prices, phone numbers, car plates, wedding dates and even building floors.
Digit-by-digit breakdown
| Digit | 汉字 | Pinyin | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 八 | bā Cantonese: baat3 | 发 fā (prosper, get rich); 拜 bài (bye) | The king of lucky numbers, 发 'prosperity'. The Beijing Olympics opened 08/08/08 at 8:08 pm |
| 8 | 八 | bā Cantonese: baat3 | 发 fā (prosper, get rich); 拜 bài (bye) | The king of lucky numbers, 发 'prosperity'. The Beijing Olympics opened 08/08/08 at 8:08 pm |
| 8 | 八 | bā Cantonese: baat3 | 发 fā (prosper, get rich); 拜 bài (bye) | The king of lucky numbers, 发 'prosperity'. The Beijing Olympics opened 08/08/08 at 8:08 pm |
How to use 888
- In chat and social media: it's recognised instantly by Chinese speakers, so context is everything.
- In business: it is a strong ending for prices, phone numbers and promo codes aimed at Chinese customers.
- As a gift amount: a thoughtful choice for red envelopes (hongbao).
Frequently asked questions
What does 888 mean in Chinese?
888 reads as 发发发 (bā bā bā ≈ fā fā fā). Prosperity × 3. The most popular lucky price and phone ending
Is 888 a lucky number?
Yes. 888 is generally considered lucky or positive in Chinese culture.
Can I use 888 in a phone number, price or licence plate?
Use our free Number Decoder to score the full number. Endings matter most, and combinations with 8 (发, prosperity) raise the score while 4 (死) lowers it.
Related numbers
Choosing a number that matters?
Phone numbers, plates, prices, addresses, launch dates: get a human expert's audit for the Chinese market.