Chinese character for eight: 八 (bā)
The Chinese character for eight is 八 (bā). It means eight and is the luckiest number in Chinese culture, because 八 sounds like 发 (fā), as in 发财 (to get rich). It appears in 八月 (bāyuè, August).
How 八 is built
八 is two strokes curving away from each other. Its original meaning was to divide or separate, which is still visible in characters like 分 (fēn, to divide), where 八 sits above a knife 刀. The number meaning was borrowed for its sound. As a memory aid, two lines parting, opening up to good fortune. It is identical in simplified and traditional Chinese.
八 bā · eight
八 is not built from smaller parts; it is written with 2 strokes.
Origin hint: Two bent lines meaning "to divide" (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
How 八 is used
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: 八 is identical in both scripts and widely loved as a lucky number; its two strokes should not touch at the top.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for eight?
八 (bā) means “eight”.
How do you pronounce 八?
八 is pronounced bā.