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Key Learning Points (Preview):

吉利 (jílì): adj. lucky; auspicious; propitious    
长寿 (cháng shòu): n. long life; longevit    

Have you heard of lucky numbers in China? Lucky numbers are believed to bring success, wealth, good luck and happiness. Lucky numbers are mostly based on Chinese words that sound similar to other Chinese words which have positive meanings. Today, we are going to talk about one of these Chinese lucky numbers - “9.”

Because “9 (jiŭ)” and the Chinese character “久 (jiŭ)” which means “longevity” are pronounced the same, “9” is considered as a highly “吉利 (jílì) auspicious” number for Chinese people. It signifies friendship, love, and “长寿 (cháng shòu) long life.” People often choose “9” for the number of gifts of money or presents. If you try to impress someone with a bouquet of roses, make sure you know the meaning behind the number of the roses that you give. 99 roses or 999 roses would be the best choice, because this stands for “Everlasting and eternal love.”

Additionally, the number “9” is historically associated with the Emperor of China. “9” is special in China as it is the largest possible single digit, and Chinese dragons are frequently connected with it. The nine dragons is also a symbol of power, strength, and good luck. Thus, the Emperor's robes often had nine dragons, and Chinese mythology held that the dragon has nine children.

Key Learning Points:

吉利 (jílì): adj. lucky; auspicious; propitious    

Example:

Shísān zài hĕnduō xīfāng guójiā bèi kànzuò shì hĕn bù jílì de shùzì.
 十三    在    很多    西方    国家  被    看作    是   很  不吉利的 数字。
  
13 is considered to be a very unlucky number in many western countries.

长寿 (cháng shòu): n. long life; longevit    

Example:

Zhù nín jiànkāng cháng shòu！
 祝   您     健康        长     寿!    
May you live a long and healthy life!