Lucky numbers

I know 8 and 6 are considered a lucky number in Japan (and China, I think), and I know some numbers are sometimes considered unlucky (and avoided with the same kind of dread that some Americans avoid the number 13.)

Would 86 be pronounced hachi-jū roku, and would it be considered a lucky or unlucky number?

For reference,
8 is often called "sue-hirogari" means being increasingly successful, because 八 (eight in Kanji) is widen toward the end.
And 4 pronounced し(shi; same as 死[death]) and 9 pronounced く(ku; same as 苦[pain]) are sometimes considered unlucky.
So rooms are often numbered without No.4 in Japanese apartment buildings.

So is six lucky or unlucky, and what about a combination number like eighty six?

Would that be considered lucky or unlucky?

8 is known to be a lucky number, but 6 is not considered as either a lucky or an unlucky number. 86 is not a number of any significance.

Abbot,

Yes, 86 would most commonly be pronounced hachi-j� roku when written that way, and I've never heard of 6 being an unlucky number in Japan apart from the fact that 666 reminds us of the American movie "The Omen."

Thank you Uco,

I knew that 8 was a lucky number, and I thought that 6 was considered lucky too (because it sounds like the word for smooth?)

And I was wondering if 86 would be considered lucky?

I think I also read somewhere that all even numbers (except perhaps for 4) were considered lucky.

Is that true?

8 is considered lucky, but only because of the shape of the kanji for 8 (八), so I don't know if as a number, simply by itself written like this, is considered really "lucky."
6 is not, as far as I know.

And for the same reason (the shape of the kanji), when 8 becomes a part of any bigger number like 86, no, it is not particularly considered lucky.

Abbot,

I'm not sure what you mean by 6 sounding like "smooth," but 6 is indeed considered lucky and vegetables are often cut into hexagonal shapes to imply good fortune.

I've never heard of numbers being lucky just because they are even. On the contrary, odd numbers are considered luckier, probably because you can't "cut" it in half. For example, you celebrate the growth of children when they are age 3, 5 and 7.

As mentioned, 86 is not particularly a lucky or unlucky number. But I guess it can't be a bad number since both Chinese charaters "spread out." See? 八十六

Why are you asking, anyway? Numbers can be considered lucky or unlucky depending on the occasion.

Thank you Uco,

I'm asking because I'm interested in superstitions, their rationale, and how they differ from culture to culture.

BTW: I've looked at the kanji (八十六), but I don't I can't see how they "spread out."

What do you mean?

Here is how to write 6 and 8 in Kanji.
http://japanese.about.com/blkanji2.htm
Can you see that looks like radiating lines?

Yes.

And what would that be taken to mean?

The shape of 八 is called "sue-hirogari" means "widen toward the end".
- 末(sue; the end)
- 広がり(hirogari; the spread)
It means to grow more and more prosperous as time goes on.

BTW, I had never heard this for 6.

I am not Japanese, but I think that 86 is not likely to be considered unlucky at all, if anything it may be considered popular or lucky within sections of the community.

The Toyota AE86 has a cult following inside and outside of Japan and is often referred to as Hachiroku.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_AE86

Many Australian car enthusiasts understand the word Hachiroku, and one of the car club websites is:-
http://www.hachiroku.com.au/

A lot of the cult following is due to the Anime/Manga Initial D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_D