Home Chinese Culture Chinese Symbols Writing Symbols
There are quite a few Chinese writing symbols, or Chinese characters, that represent good fortune, blessings and happiness in life.
The following listed are the top ones that loved by people. The first is the traditional triplet of blessings: Fu Lu Shou. The following are the Chinese traditional quartet and quintet of good luck:
Xi -- Joy, Happiness
It usually is doubled to mean double happiness when it comes to a wedding. It's one of the favored Chinese symbols by many.
Cai -- Wealth
It seems to be a little redundant when you have Lu the lucky symbol for wealth already, and now you have Cai.
People who use it tend to limit Lu to salary and Cai as wealth in general. While the younger generation uses Lu less, the Cai is a very common word used to give a prosperous wish.
As shown in picture at left, this Character Cai is in "Gold", a color that represents its meaning.
The following plaque is a quintet with Fu, Lu, Shou, Xi, and Cai.
Besides Xi and Cai, Fu, Lu and Shou are also the favored lucky symbols; they are also common characters for Chinese paper cuts (Jianzhi, Chuanghua).
Their meanings? Fu means lucky or blessings, Lu means prosperity, Shou means longevity.
Did you notice the Fu is in the center? Actually, Fu includes all the lucky meanings the other symbols represent. They all are one kind of Fu, one kind of blessing.
On the picture below, the most used 4 Chinese Lucky Symbols Fu, Lu, Shou and Xi are embossed. Xi is rendered in a traditional way.
Did you notice the different animals or birds on each part of the emboss? They are not random animals and birds that the artist happens to like. The names of 3 animals are the homophones of the four Chinese good luck symbols: bat - Fu, deer - Lu, magpie - Xi, and the crane is a bird that symbolizes longevity in Chinese culture.
Ji - lucky, auspicious, propitious. |
He -- harmony. There are various styles of Chinese calligraphy. This one is running script. |
Shun -- satisfactory, timely, fitting, proper
|
An -- Safe and Sound, Without Mishap |
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