Today is 5.20 May the 20th. It may seem like a normal day for you, but for others, especially in China, today is a very special day! It’s a day of love. Read on to learn how 520 became a Chinese love word!
Why is today so special in China?
The 20th of May is a very special day for the Chinese because they celebrate love on this day! For the Chinese, today is like a Valentine’s day.
During this lovely day, couples go on a date or spend time together. And for those who are single, well, it’s a perfect time for them to be brave and show their love to their main crush! Nobody can resist a declaration of love at this special event!
How did 5.20 come to equal a Chinese love word that says I love you?
Talking about this special event, you may wonder why it occurs on this day and not another one in Chinese. The answer is quite simple. It’s all about the sounds. When you write May 20th in numbers, it’s written 5.20. When you pronounce the numbers 5. 2. 0 in Chinese, 五二零 wǔ èr líng, they sound very close to the words 我爱你 wǒ ài nǐ. See? They don’t sound the same, but they sound quite similar, and that’s enough! The Chinese love plays on homophonic words and numbers with hidden meanings.
520 originally started as a slang word used by the Chinese online as a shortcut to say I love you in Chinese, like ILY in English. It then came to be associated with the date May 20th (5.20), which became a very romantic day!
Show your love with 520!
The Chinese love numbers and their hidden meanings
The Chinese people sure love this romantic day, as they have strong beliefs regarding numbers. You may know how some numbers are considered lucky and some unauspicious in Chinese. Certain number combinations also have secret meanings.
For example, did you hear of the wedding record set in China on 2012.12.12? In China, tons of couples got married on that special day because it was said to be a lucky day for lovers. See, in Chinese, you can pronounce 12 一二 yāo èr. (in Chinese, when talking about a phone number or a street, 1 is pronounced yāo instead of yī). The sound of yāoèr is close to the sound of 要爱 yào ài, which means to want love. So 2012.12.12 stood for “to want love, to want love, to want love.” What a lovely day to get married, huh?!
🏮 Ninchanese is an incredible app for learning Chinese! 🏮
” I actually graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a MA in Chinese.
I’ve used Ninchanese daily, and it has helped me a lot! “
– Connor, Ninchanese User
Try Ninchanese, an award-winning method to learn Chinese today:
Start Learning Now
As for 520, it means 我爱你 wǒ ài nǐ, and is a great Chinese love word to say today (and whenever you can) to your loved one. When you do, make sure you pronounce each word individually, because saying 5 五 wǔ and 20 二十 èr shí doesn’t work the same! Also, be careful not to mix it up with 250 二百五 èrbǎiwǔ, another number with a special meaning, but that means something totally different! 250 èrbǎiwǔ means idiot, stupid. Trust me; your lover won’t appreciate it if, instead of sending a cute 520 (I love you) text or saying it to them, you write 250. 嘻嘻.
If you like the idea of communicating in numbers, you can also take it up a notch and tell your boo 5201314! Why? 520, you know, is the Chinese love word to use today, and 1314 represents 一生一世 yīshēng yīshì (for a lifetime). So if you say 5201314, you’re saying I love you for a lifetime. So romantic, right? Add a 么么哒 to send extra love and affection!
Happy 520 love day!
Have a nice and lovely day full of 520 and love! Don’t forget to share your love as much as you can: today and every day using 520, the Chinese love word is purrfect for today!
The Nincha Team
Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
13 comments
Join the conversationPingback: What does 520 mean in China?
Cassio Peia - May 20, 2018
What? This is ridiculous. But yeah whatever…
Jun Fu - May 20, 2019
Hahahahah true – yes ridiculous.
xie - May 12, 2019
that was a horrible way of saying it thru text for someone who’s not chinese wish you could’ve said it to me before more personally but still dear i love you too and im sorry for being oblivuous when you sent 520. if youre reading this then we should be togethersm
yangchaojie - May 20, 2019
开心就好(Just happy,love is right)
karding - May 20, 2019
Its the day of betrayal too, HUsbands with their mistress Married woman goes with another man
Its just normal in China. Morality is so poor. Whenever they feel comfortable even it is wrong
Pingback: Cosa significa 520? Un altro San Valentino cinese | BRIDGING CHINA
Don Henry Edirisinghe - May 20, 2019
Jinfang is my best friend . She live in China. I’m Don Henry Edirisinghe . From Sri Lanka. I work in construction firm.
Rajeev - May 23, 2019
You are telling that we use 我爱你 at the place of 五二零. Why ? So, Why 520, it is wrong. Isn’t it !!
Ninchanese - June 3, 2019
Yes, that’s it. It sounds almost the same, but with numbers and Chinese are fond of lucky numbers. 🙂
Pingback: Afterlife Communication: Numbers and Dates | Afterlife Communication | Paisley and Poppies
Michelle - August 26, 2019
What are the number equivalents in Chinese of: brain, mind, thoughts, think, head?
Pingback: 520 Quotes - Wolfiesfighters
Comments are closed.