Some Chinese Symbols and Their Meanings
Bamboo
Bamboo symbolizes the ideals of a Confucian scholar because both are perceived as upright,
strong and resilient while still being gentle, graceful and refined. Bamboo also represents the
ideals of the Taoists (Daoists) because it can bend during the worst weather but not break.
Bamboo was traditionally used to frighten away evil spirits, such as the mythical beast Nian (年),
because when placed in a fire it would create a loud crackling sound similar to firecrackers.
Bat
A picture of a bat (fu 蝠) can be a visual pun for "good fortune" or happiness (fu 福) because
both characters are pronounced fu. Often the bat is shown flying upside down because the
character (dao 倒) for "upside-down" and the character (dao 到) meaning "to have arrived" are
both pronounced dao. Therefore, if a person were to say "the bat is flying upside down" a
listener could just as easily hear this as "happiness has arrived" which, of course, has a very
auspicious connotation. (View charms with "upside down" bat and eight treasures, Zhong Kui,
Zhong Kui, Liu Hai, and deer.)
Butterfly
The butterfly is a symbol of long life because the second character in butterfly (hudie 蝴蝶) has
exactly the same pronunciation as the character 耋 (die) which means "70 or 80 years of age".
The butterfly also signifies joy and warmth.
Cat
The cat (mao 猫) symbolizes wishes for a long life because it has the same pronunciation as the
word for an 80 year old or "octogenarian" (mao 耄). The cat is also the protector of silkworms
because it can ward off and kill mice and rats which attack these producers of silk thread.
Coin
Chinese coins are a potent symbol of wealth and prosperity. Ancient Chinese coins are round
with a square hole in the middle which reflects the Chinese view of the earth as square and the
heavens as a circle.
Crab
The Chinese word for crab (蟹) and the Chinese word for harmony (协) are both pronounced
xie.
Crane
The crane (he 鹤) is believed by the Chinese to live to a very old age and therefore is a symbol of
longevity. Myths describe spirits and immortals as riding on cranes. The souls of the dead are
said to be carried to the heavens by cranes.
Deer
Deer are among the most frequently seen animals on charms. The Chinese character for deer is
鹿 which is pronounced lu. The Chinese character 禄, which refers to the salary a government
official receives, is also pronounced lu. A picture of a deer is therefore expressing a wish for a
top government office with a high salary. The Chinese believe the deer lives to a very great age
and, as a result, has become a symbol for long life.
Dog
The dog (gou 狗) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.
Dragon
The dragon (long 龙) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. The dragon is believed
to live in the mountains or in the seas and can fly into the heavens. Ancient Chinese believed the
dragon brought rain, good harvests and fertility. A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with
serpentine or reptilian traits. The dragon symbol is frequently used on ancient Chinese emperor's
items including chairs or costumes. It is considered a representation of power.
Dragonfly
The dragonfly (qingting 蜻蜓) represents the Confucian ideal of pureness of character because
its pronunciation is similar to the word for "pure" or "clear" (qing 清). The dragonfly also
symbolizes the season of summer.
Dumplings
(jiaozi)
Chinese dumplings (with meat or vegetable stuffing) symbolize wealth or riches because they are
boat-shaped and thus resemble the silver ingots or sycee used in ancient China as money. The
word dumpling (jiaozi 饺子) has the same pronunciation as the first paper money (jiaozi 交子)
used in China which was during the early Song Dynasty.
Ancient Chinese placed actual coins in dumplings with the wish that whoever found the coins
would enjoy prosperity and good luck.
Eight (8)
The number eight (ba 八) is the most auspicious number because its pronunciation, particularly
in southern dialects, is very similar to "prosper" or "wealth" (fa cai 发财).
Eight
Auspicious
Symbols of
Buddhism
Parasol (chattra) - royalty and spiritual power
Golden Fishes (suvarnamatsya) - good fortune, fertility and salvation
Treasure Vase (kalasha) - spiritual and material abundance
Lotus (padma) - mental and spiritual purity
Conch Shell (sankha) - the fame of Buddha's teachings
Endless Knot (shrivasta) - infinite wisdom of the Buddha
Victory Banner (dhvaja) - victory of the Buddha's teachings and wisdom over ignorance
Wheel (dharmachakra) - the teachings of the Buddha
Elephant
The elephant is considered an auspicious animal because the Chinese character for "elephant"
(xiang 象) has the same pronunciation as the Chinese word for "auspicious" or "lucky" (xiang
祥).
Fish
The Chinese character for fish (yu 鱼) is pronounced the same as the Chinese character for
"abundance" or "surplus" (yu 余). The fish symbol is, therefore, frequently associated with other
symbols and Chinese characters to symbolize the wish for "more" in the sense of "more" good
luck, good fortune, long life and children. Two fish, or a pair of fish (shuang yu 双鱼), represent
happiness in marriage.
Four Divine
Creatures
The Four Divine Creatures, also known as the Four Heraldic Animals, Four Directional Animals,
and Four Symbols (si xiang 四象), symbolize the four directions and an associated season as
follows: Vermillion (Red) Bird (zhuque 朱雀) south and summer; White Tiger (baihu 白虎)
west and autumn; Azure Dragon (qinglong 青龙) east and spring; black tortoise coiled around
by a snake known as the Black Tortoise (Black Warrior) (xuanwu 玄武) north and winter. (See
also entries for "Tortoise" and "Snake" below)
Frog
The frog (wa 蛙) is a symbol of fertility because it has the same pronunciation as the word for
baby (wa 娃).
God of
Happiness
(Fu), God of
Luck, God of
Good
Fortune and
Blessings
Fu (福), which means good luck, fortune, blessings and happiness, refers to the "God of
Happiness" who was originally a heavenly star known as the "Lucky Star" (fuxing 福星). He is
also known as the "God of Good Fortune and Blessings" and as the "God of Luck".
Early Taoism (Daoism) had three gods known as the "Three Officials" (sanguan 三官) or "Three
Immortals". One was named the "Heavenly Official who grants fortune" tianguancifu (天官赐
福) and it was he who later became better known as the "God of Happiness".
God of
Wealth (Cai
Shen)
The God of Wealth (caishen 财神) is a very popular Chinese deity whose presence is thought to
ensure wealth and success. He is depicted with a long beard and wearing either an official's gown
or military dress. He is usually shown holding or being surrounded by symbols of wealth such as
coins, ingots, coral, etc. He is often shown holding a sword in his right hand raised above his
head and wearing a distinctive hat with ear flaps. He is sometimes depicted as riding a black
tiger.
Gods of
Peace and
Harmony
(Hehe erxian)
These twin laughing immortals are known as the Gods of Peace and Harmony, the Gods of Unity
and Harmony, Hehe erxian (和合二仙), the Laughing Twins and the Gods of Mirth. One twin is
named Shi De (拾得) who usually holds a lotus. The other twin is Han Shan (寒山) who may
hold a round box, ruyi sceptre, gourd, coin, persimmon, etc. They represent harmony and mirth
and bestow blessings on marriages.
Goldfish
The goldfish (jinyu 金鱼) is a symbol for wealth because its first character (jin 金) means "gold"
and its second character (yu) sounds like jade (yu 玉). Goldfish also symbolize abundant wealth
because the first character (jin) means gold and the second character (yu) has the same
pronunciation as the word for "abundance" or "surplus" (yu 余).
Horse
The horse (ma 马) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac and symbolizes speed,
power and perseverance.
Lion
The lion is considered to be a brave and intelligent animal and thus symbolizes power and
majesty. The Chinese word for lion (shi 狮) has the same pronunciation and can be a visual pun
or rebus for "teacher", "master", "tutor" or "preceptor" (shi 师). For this reason, the lion can
symbolize a high government official because in ancient times there existed a "Senior Grand
Tutor" (tai shi 太师) and a "Junior Preceptor" (shao shi 少 师). The lion can also represent the
Buddha who, among his repeated births, was born 10 times as a lion.
Lotus
Because the Buddha is often depicted as seated on a lotus, the lotus is considered a sacred
Buddhist symbol (one of Eight Auspicious Symbols) representing purity and detachment from
worldly cares.
The lotus signifies the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
Mirror
Mirrors in China symbolize good fortune and are believed to protect against evil spirits.
Traditional marriage gifts included a bronze mirror (tongjing 铜镜) and shoes (xie 鞋) because
the words combined express "together and in harmony" (tongxie 同谐).
Mountain
Mountains (shan 山) are the places closest to the gods and because of their expanse and heights
covey the meaning of limitless.
Nine (9)
The number nine (9) is considered lucky because the Chinese character for nine (jiu 九) has the
same pronunciation as the word "forever" (jiu 久).
Orange
Oranges symbolize riches and good fortune because of their gold color. Also, the chinese
character for the orange is ju (桔) which is composed of mu (木), meaning "tree", and ji (吉)
meaning "lucky or auspicious". The two components of the character therefore imply that the
orange is a "good luck" fruit.
Orchid
The orchid is one of the Four Gentlemen and stands for humility, modesty, beauty and
refinement.
Peacock
The peacock symbolizes beauty and dignity as well as the desire for peace and prosperity.
The ancient Chinese believed that one glance from a peacock could make a woman pregnant.
Xi Wang Mu (西王母), the Queen Mother of the West, sometimes rode a peacock as a means of
transportation instead of a stork.
See Open Work Charms for an beautiful charm depicting a pair of peacocks.
Phoenix
(fenghuang)
The Chinese phoenix is a mythical bird known as the fenghuang (凤 凰) in Chinese.
Unlike the phoenix of the West, the Chinese phoenix does not have the connotation of a bird
rising from ashes.
The Chinese phoenix symbolizes joy and peace.
It is believed that the phoenix only makes an appearance during periods of prosperity, peace and
good government.
A dragon and phoenix shown together symbolize a happy and harmonious union.
The phoenix is the yin equivalent of the dragon and is associated with the south and summer.
The phoenix is also the symbol of the empress.
A very attractive double phoenix charm can be seen at Chinese Open Work Charms.
Phoenix and dragon charms may be seen at Marriage Charms, Auspicious Inscriptions, and
Unknown Charms.
Pig (Boar)
(Hog)
The pig or boar (zhu 猪) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac and traditionally
symbolized the prosperity and good fortune of a family that could afford such a quality food
source.
An old Chinese custom was to have young male children wear hats and shoes in the shape of a
pig. Chinese parents believed this would avoid misfortune since the evil spirits would be fooled
into thinking the child was actually a pig.
Pine
The pine tree (song 松) is a very common symbol for longevity because it is an evergreen and
can endure severe winters.
The pine is a member of the Three Friends in Winter.
The pine also symbolizes solitude.
The pine provides protection when planted near graves. This is because the mythical creature
Wang Xiang (罔象), who devours the brains of the dead, is afraid of the pine.
A charm displaying the pine tree may be seen at Pendant Charms.
Rabbit
(Hare)
The rabbit (tuzi 兔子) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. The rabbit symbolizes
longevity because of the Taoist (Daoist) legend of the "moon hare" that lives on the moon
making the elixir of immortality.
Rat
The rat (laoshu 老鼠) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. The rat symbolizes
fertility, abundance and wealth because of its reproductive abilities.
Red (color)
Red, corresponding with fire, symbolizes good fortune and joy. Red is found everywhere during
Chinese New Year and other holidays and family gatherings. A red envelope is a monetary gift
which is given in Chinese society during holiday or special occasions. The red color of the
packet symbolizes good luck.
Rooster
The rooster or cock is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.
Roosters are believed to be able to scare away demons.
The Chinese for rooster (gongji 公鸡) is pronounced the same as "lucky" or "auspicious" (ji 吉).
Shrimp
Shrimp (虾) are considered to be auspicious because the pronunciation in Mandarin (xia) and
Cantonese (ha) is very similar to the sound of people laughing (ha ha ha).
Six (6)
The number six (6) is considered lucky because the Chinese character for six (liu 六) has a
similar pronunciation to the word "prosperity" (lu 禄).
Snake
The snake (she 蛇) is a member of the Chinese zodiac and also a member of the "Five Poisons".
Stork
The stork (guan 鹳) is believed to live 1,000 years and is therefore a symbol of longevity. The
stork is frequently shown together with pine trees which are another symbol of longevity.
Swastika
The swastika is a very old Asian symbol. The swastika symbol in China represents the Chinese
character wan (万) meaning "ten-thousand". The extended meaning of wan (万) is "all" such as
"the myriad things" as used in the Dao De Jing (道德经), the classic Taoist (Daoist) text written
by Lao-zi (老子).
Teapot
A teapot or pot (hu 壶) can convey the meaning of "to protect" (hu 护) or "blessing" (hu 祜)
because the characters share the same pronunciation.
Tiger
(leopard)
The tiger (hu 虎) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac and is considered the ruler
of the beasts on Earth as opposed to the dragon which rules the beasts in the sky and heavens.
The word for tiger (hu) is also a pun because it has the same pronunciation as the word "protect"
(hu 护).
Tortoise
The tortoise (gui 龟) has a long life-span and is, therefore, a natural symbol for longevity. The
tortoise also represents strength and endurance. The tortoise is associated with the north and
winter.
Unicorn
(Chinese
Unicorn)
The qilin (麒 麟) or Chinese unicorn represents good luck, prosperity, goodwill and benevolence.
It is described as having a deer's body, an ox's tail, fish scales, five-toed hoofed feet and a horn
on its head.
Vase or
Bottle
A picture of a bottle or vase can represent the meaning of "peace" or "safety" because both the
character for vase (ping 瓶) and that for peace (pingan 平安) are pronounced ping.
Willow
The willow (liu 柳) is associated with the life of scholars and poets who drew inspiration while
strolling among them.