Chinese Lucky Symbols

Home Chinese Culture Chinese Symbols Lucky Symbols

There are quite a few Chinese lucky symbols that represent good fortune, blessings and happiness in life.

The following listed are the top ones that loved by people. They are rendered in different calligraphy styles and in Pinyin.

Pinyin is the Chinese spelling system for characters which is the phonic part of the character and other characters may share the sound.

Like in English, to the spelling is the way to discern the difference among homophone words; to know the look of the characters is the way to know the meaning of the characters.

The Traditional Triplet of Blessings

Chinese lucky symbol for fu-lu-shou Fu, Lu and Shou, meaning blessings, wealth and longevity respectively are the good luck triple symbols most favored in China. Picture on the right is a decorative way of writing Fu, Lu and Shou.

This good luck triplet is usually presented in posters, paintings, literatures and other decorations while its members may be used separately, such as fu, a most displayed good luck symbol in Chinese New Year. You can check out the Chinese New Year's symbols for details.

Now let's take a look of the individual symbols.

1. Fu -- the most favored and used good lucky symbol in Chinese. It means blessings or good luck.

Chinese lucky symbol for blessings and good luck

2. Lu -- It meant an official's salary and benefits in the feudal time of China. Now people still use it to mean wealth and monetary fortune, but it is less used in younger generations.

Chinese lucky symbol for wealth 1

3. Shou -- a character symbol meaning age and longevity.

Chinese lucky symbol for longevity

When the triplet is used together, people wish you not just good luck for your year, they also wish you being prosperous and having the longevity to enjoy your good fortune.

Here is examples how the triplet is used in display. The left one was given to the Cixi empress during the Qing Dynasty. Can you find the Lu and Shou that were integrated as part of Fu? The left one is used by common people during Chinese spring festival.

Left: Fu Lu Shou, a Calligraphy Right: Fu Lu Shou, a Triplet