Most Common Chinese Charms & How to Use Them

Chinese charms are objects, symbols, and characters believed to attract good fortune, wealth, protection, or spiritual growth. The most common include coins and ingots (wealth), jade pendants (protection), red string bracelets (warding off evil), the Fu symbol 福 (blessings), red envelopes 红包 (transferring luck), Bagua mirrors (deflecting negative energy), and mythical creatures like Pi Xiu. Many are considered lucky because their Mandarin names sound like auspicious words, a form of homophone symbolism deeply embedded in Chinese culture.

Chinese charms come in a variety of forms, each carrying its own unique symbolism and purpose. 

But before we get into the list, it is worth understanding why lucky charms carry such weight in Chinese culture. Good fortune in Chinese tradition is not a passive hope; it is something actively cultivated through objects, colours, numbers, and spatial arrangement.

Charms sit alongside a whole set of lucky and unlucky beliefs in China, from avoiding the number four to never sweeping the floor on New Year’s Day.

This philosophy runs through everyday life, from the layout of a Beijing apartment to the red envelope handed to a child on New Year’s morning.

Many charms are rooted in the Mandarin language itself: objects are lucky because their names sound like auspicious words. Others draw their power from Taoist cosmology, Buddhist imagery, or centuries of folk belief. Once you understand that, a walk through any Chinese market becomes a masterclass in cultural symbolism.

If you are curious about Chinese traditions, rituals, and what they can teach you about the language, this is the right place to start. 💡

Let us know in the comments if you know of any others we didn’t mention.

Let’s get started!

Chinese Charms | Popular & Common Types

Chinese Charms | Activating & Using Them

Chinese Charms | Summary

Chinese Charms | Popular & Common Types

Let’s have a look at the most popular types of Chinese Charms with their meaning and purpose.

Coins & Ingots

Purpose: to attract wealth and success.

Coins (铜钱, tóngqián) and gold ingots (元宝, yuánbǎo) are among the most common Chinese charms associated with attracting wealth and prosperity. The yuánbǎo is the boat-shaped gold or silver ingot once used as money, which is why you will see little golden yuánbǎo piled up in shop windows at New Year.

Many coin charms were never meant to be spent. Charm coins (压胜钱, yāshèngqián) date back to the Han dynasty and stayed popular through the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties. Instead of a currency value, they were cast with lucky phrases, zodiac animals or protective symbols. They are usually strung on red cord, because in folk belief red wards off evil and ‘activates’ the charm.

• The round shape of the coin symbolises Heaven.
• The square hole in the center represents Earth.

Together, they represent the harmonious union of heaven and earth, bringing balance and abundance into one’s life.

The number of coins used also matters. Three coins tied together is a classic feng shui arrangement, while sets of eight coins are prized for their connection to prosperity. Learn why in our guide to lucky numbers in Chinese culture.

Jade Charms

Purpose: to bring good luck and protection.

Jade, a highly esteemed gemstone in the Chinese culture, is known to possess protective energies and the ability to attract good fortune. 

Jade charms are crafted into multiple forms including dragons, phoenixes, and mythical creatures. Two you will see constantly in jewellery shops:

The Ping An Kou takes its name from 平安 (píng’ān), ‘safe and sound’. Its round, unbroken shape stands for wholeness and a smooth path through life. That is why parents often give one to a child leaving home or setting off to study abroad.

The jade cicada spends years underground before emerging transformed, so it came to mean rebirth. In the Han dynasty, jade cicadas were placed in the mouths of the dead in the hope of new life. Today the living wear them, and students like them for another reason: the idiom 一鸣惊人 (yì míng jīng rén), ‘to amaze everyone with a single cry’, makes the cicada a quiet wish for exam success.

Jade charms are believed to serve as conduits for positive energy, safeguarding against negative influences.

Did you know: One of the most famous artworks in Taipei (so famous it has been called the city’s ‘Mona Lisa’) is a small jade cabbage in the National Palace Museum, less than 10 inches in size!

Red String Bracelets

Purpose: to ward off evil spirits.

Red string bracelets are not only fashionable accessories but also carry deep cultural significance in Chinese folklore.

These bracelets are believed to ward off evil spirits and protect the wearer from misfortune.

It is common to see individuals, young and old, wearing red string bracelets as a symbol of good luck and protection. They are especially popular during your 本命年 (běnmìngnián), the year of your own zodiac animal, which folk belief treats as an unlucky year that calls for extra red. Customs vary between families, but many people wear the bracelet on the left wrist, since the left side is considered the receiving side, drawing good energy inward.

Longevity Lock (长命锁)

Purpose: to protect babies and young children.

The 长命锁 (chángmìng suǒ), literally ‘long life lock’, is a small padlock-shaped pendant, usually silver, given to newborns. The idea is that it ‘locks’ the child safely to life and keeps illness and evil spirits away.

Grandparents often give one at the baby’s first-month celebration (满月, mǎnyuè) or 100-day celebration (百天, bǎitiān). Many are engraved with 长命百岁 (chángmìng bǎisuì), ‘may you live to 100’. If you are invited to one of these parties during a homestay, a longevity lock makes a thoughtful gift.

The Fu Symbol (福)

Purpose: to invite good fortune and blessings into the home.

If there is one Chinese lucky charm that appears absolutely everywhere, it is 福 (fú), the character for good fortune, luck, and blessings.

You will spot it on red paper cutouts, ceramic tiles, lanterns, and embroidered cushions across Beijing, Shanghai, and every city in between. During Chinese New Year it becomes almost impossible to miss.

One of the most charming traditions: 福 is deliberately hung upside down on doors and walls. In Mandarin, ‘upside down’ is 倒 (dào), which sounds identical to 到 (dào), meaning ‘to arrive’. So an inverted 福 literally signals that good luck has arrived. 💡

TIP💡 If you are studying Mandarin, 福 is a fantastic character to learn early. It shows up in everyday conversation, festive greetings, and even place names. You will find it in our guide to lucky numbers in Chinese culture too, where the number eight (八, bā) shares a similarly auspicious reputation.

Double Happiness (囍) & Other Lucky Characters

Purpose: to bless marriages and bring joy, long life, peace and wealth.

囍 (shuāngxǐ) is two copies of 喜 (xǐ, ‘joy’) joined side by side, so it literally means double happiness. It is the wedding charm: red paper-cut 囍 goes on the newlyweds’ door, windows and bridal bed, and it is printed on invitations and wedding red envelopes.

A popular legend links it to the Song dynasty scholar Wang Anshi. He is said to have passed the imperial exam and won his bride on the same day, then written 喜 twice to celebrate. Whether or not it really happened, it is a lovely story to tell at a Chinese wedding.

福 and 囍 are not the only characters that work as charms. These are the ones you will see most on pendants, paper-cuts and New Year decorations:

TIP💡 These characters are a great set for learners. 安 and 喜 both turn up in everyday words you will learn early, such as 安全 (ānquán, ‘safe’) and 喜欢 (xǐhuan, ‘to like’), so you will recognise them on charms long before you can read a full menu.

Why Are These Objects Lucky? // The Language Clue

Here is something that makes Chinese charm culture genuinely fascinating, and something that clicks immediately once you start learning Mandarin.

Many objects are considered lucky not because of their appearance, but because their name sounds like an auspicious word in Chinese. Linguists call this a homophone, a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning; in Chinese culture it is practically an art form.

• Fish (鱼, yú) sounds like surplus or abundance (余, yú), which is why fish imagery appears on almost every New Year decoration. The classic greeting is 年年有余 (niánnián yǒu yú), ‘may you have abundance year after year’. It is also why a whole fish is served at the New Year’s Eve dinner, often with a little left over.
• Bat (蝙蝠, biānfú) contains the syllable fú, the same sound as good fortune (福, fú).
• Eight (八, bā) sounds similar to prosper (发, fā), making it the luckiest number in Chinese culture. Read more in our guide to lucky numbers in Chinese culture.
• Vase (瓶, píng) sounds like peace (平, píng).

Once you know this, you will start spotting the logic behind shop displays, gift choices, and festival decorations everywhere you go in Beijing or Shanghai. It is one of those moments in language learning where culture and vocabulary collide in the best possible way. 🤔

Understanding why these charms are lucky is so much richer when you can read and hear the language behind them. If this has sparked your curiosity about Mandarin, we would love to help you take the next step.

Find your perfect Mandarin program and study with native-speaker teachers in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, or online with Flexi Classes.

Bats (蝙蝠)

Purpose: to attract good fortune and blessings.

In Western cultures, bats carry associations with darkness and fear. In Chinese culture, they are a powerful symbol of good luck, and the reason is linguistic.

The word for bat, 蝙蝠 (biānfú), contains the syllable fú, which is the same sound as 福 (fú), meaning fortune and blessings. That single phonetic overlap made the bat one of the most beloved motifs in traditional Chinese art and architecture.

Five bats together (五福, wǔ fú) represent the Five Blessings: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and a peaceful death. You will find this motif on porcelain, silk embroidery, and carved wooden panels in historic buildings across Beijing and Xi’an.

Look closely and you will often see the five bats circling the character 寿 (shòu, ‘longevity’), a design called 五福捧寿 (wǔ fú pěng shòu), ‘five blessings holding up long life’. Its partner is the longevity peach (寿桃, shòutáo), linked in legend to the peaches of immortality grown by the Queen Mother of the West (西王母, Xīwángmǔ). At an elder’s birthday you will often see peach-shaped steamed buns on the table, a sweet way of wishing them a long life. 💡

Dragons, Phoenixes, Cranes & Mandarin Ducks // Animal Charms

Purpose: to bring power, love, long life and success.

Bats are not the only lucky animals. These creatures appear on jade pendants, embroidery and wedding decorations, each with its own meaning:

Put the dragon and phoenix together and you get 龙凤呈祥 (lóng fèng chéng xiáng), a wish for a happy, balanced marriage that you will see on wedding cakes, bedding and invitations. Mandarin ducks are always shown in pairs because they are believed to mate for life, so a pair makes a classic wedding or anniversary gift.

The crane often appears with a pine tree in the phrase 松鹤延年 (sōng hè yán nián), ‘pine and crane, a long life’, a favourite birthday wish for grandparents.

The carp has a special place for students. In the legend of 鲤鱼跃龙门 (lǐyú yuè lóngmén), a carp that leaps over the Dragon Gate turns into a dragon, a metaphor for passing the imperial exams. If you are preparing for the HSK, a little carp charm on your desk is a very traditional good luck wish. Before exam day, test your HSK knowledge.

Red Envelopes (红包)

Purpose: to transfer good luck, blessings, and prosperity.

红包 (hóngbāo), literally ‘red envelope’, are one of the most recognisable symbols of Chinese good fortune. Given during Chinese New Year, weddings, and birthdays, they carry cash inside as a physical transfer of luck and goodwill from the giver to the receiver. Our guide to the lucky red envelope tradition covers the etiquette in more detail.

The red colour is key: red wards off evil and signals joy and vitality throughout Chinese culture.

Modern life has added a digital twist. WeChat launched its virtual hongbao feature in January 2014, and sending digital red envelopes quickly became a New Year ritual of its own: Tencent reported 32.1 billion of them exchanged over the 2016 Spring Festival holiday alone.

TIP💡 If you receive a red envelope, do not open it immediately in front of the giver. Discretion is part of the etiquette. Learn more about the traditions surrounding these moments in our guide to auspicious New Year traditions.

Bagua Mirrors

Purpose: to shield against negative energies.

Bagua mirrors, featuring the iconic yin-yang symbol and eight trigrams, are powerful protective charms used in Feng Shui practices.

Bagua mirrors are believed to deflect negative energy, promote harmony, and bring peace to the surroundings.

Bagua mirrors are often placed near entrances to safeguard homes and businesses from malevolent forces. Mount them facing outward above the main entrance, never inside a room facing occupants.

Wind Chimes

Purpose: to harmonise the energies and attract positive Qi.

Wind chimes, with their melodic sounds and vibrant designs, are not only delightful decorations but also function as powerful charms that draw in positive energy.

In Chinese tradition, wind chimes are believed to disperse stagnant energy, foster a harmonious atmosphere, and invite good luck and prosperity into the space. Hang them near windows or doorways where air moves naturally; metal chimes suit north or west-facing openings per feng shui principles.

Lotus Flower

Purpose: to inspire spiritual awakening and enlightenment.

The lotus flower holds great significance in Chinese culture, as it symbolises purity, enlightenment, and spiritual growth.

Just as the lotus emerges from muddy waters and blossoms into a beautiful flower, it represents the journey of self-transformation and rising above adversities.

Lotus flower charms are often worn or displayed to inspire inner purity, spiritual awakening, and the pursuit of enlightenment.

Hulu Gourd (葫芦)

Purpose: to protect health and absorb negative energy.

The bottle gourd, 葫芦 (húlu), has a figure-eight shape that is easy to spot on keychains, car mirrors and bedside tables. Its name sounds close to 福禄 (fúlù), ‘fortune and prosperity’, so it is a word pun as well as a charm.

Dried gourds were once used to carry medicine, and in Taoist legend the immortal Li Tieguai carries his healing elixir in one. That is why the hulu stands for health and long life. In feng shui it is also believed to absorb negative energy (煞气, shàqì), so many families hang one near the bed of someone who is unwell.

Lucky Knots

Purpose: to ensure luck and fortune.

Lucky knots, intricately woven with a single, unbroken thread, hold profound significance of luck and fortune in Chinese culture.

With a rich history spanning centuries, these ornamental knots are frequently exchanged as gifts, conveying blessings and well-wishes.

Displaying lucky knots in homes or wearing them as accessories is believed to attract positive energy, secure good fortune, and promote harmonious relationships. Hang them near the entrance, or gift one to someone at a threshold moment such as a new home, new job, or new year.

Laughing Buddha

Purpose: to spread joy and happiness.

The Laughing Buddha, also known as Budai or the Happy Buddha, is a jolly and benevolent figure in Chinese culture.

With his large belly and infectious laughter, he is a symbol of joy, contentment, and abundance.

Statues or charms depicting the Laughing Buddha are believed to bring happiness, good luck, and prosperity into one’s life.

Laughing Buddha statues are often placed in homes, offices, and businesses to create a joyful and positive atmosphere. Position the Laughing Buddha at eye level, facing the main entrance; never place him on the floor or in a bathroom.

Pi Xiu

Purpose: to protect against misfortune and negativity.

Pi Xiu, also spelled Pixiu, is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a dragon or Qilin. 

There are two types of Pixiu:

• Bìxié (辟邪) is the female of the Pixiu species and has two antlers. She is believed to ward off evil and assist anyone suffering from bad feng shui. She is regarded as a powerful protector against misfortune, illness, and negative energy.
• Tiān lù (天禄) is the male and has one antler. He is associated with wealth accumulation. The belief is that he roams the earth collecting wealth and brings it back to his owner.

In feng shui practice, Pi Xiu charms are often placed facing outward near the entrance of a home or business, or worn as a bracelet with the head pointing away from the body. The key rule: never position Pi Xiu facing a mirror or a bedroom, as this is said to disturb its protective energy.

TIP💡 Pi Xiu bracelets are widely sold near Buddhist temples in Beijing and Chengdu. If you are shopping for one, black obsidian Pi Xiu is considered especially powerful for protection.

What kind of Pixiu would you like?

The Ruyi Sceptre (如意) & the Eight Treasures

Purpose: to grant wishes and bring all-round good fortune.

如意 (rúyì) means ‘as you wish’. A ruyi sceptre has a curved, cloud-shaped or lingzhi-mushroom-shaped head on a short handle, and it is traditionally given as a gift to wish someone that everything goes their way. Jade ones were prized at the imperial court, and you will still see them in antique markets in Beijing.

The Eight Treasures usually means the Eight Auspicious Symbols (八吉祥, bā jíxiáng) of Buddhist art. You will often see them carved on furniture, painted on porcelain or woven into rugs:

Many of these will already look familiar from the lotus, vase, fish and knot sections of this guide. Spotting them together on one object is a good way to practise your character recognition. 🤔

Chinese Zodiac Charms

Purpose: to protect you and bring luck in your own zodiac year.

Zodiac animals turn up on charms all the time. Many of the old charm coins (压胜钱, yāshèngqián) were cast with zodiac animals instead of a currency value, and you will still find zodiac pendants and figurines in markets in Beijing and Shanghai.

TIP💡 Zodiac charms matter most during your 本命年 (běnmìngnián), the year of your own zodiac animal, which folk belief treats as an unlucky year. That is when people pair a charm of their animal with extra red, such as a red string bracelet, for added protection.

Myths Behind the Charms // Chang’e, the Cassia Tree & the Ao Turtle

Some charm imagery only makes sense once you know the legend behind it.

According to one of China’s best-loved myths, the archer Houyi shot down nine of the ten suns that were scorching the earth. He was rewarded with an elixir of immortality, but his wife Chang’e (嫦娥, Cháng’é) swallowed it and floated up to the moon, where the Jade Rabbit keeps her company.

On the moon, legend also places a cassia tree (桂树, guìshù) that Wu Gang (吴刚) is condemned to chop forever, because it heals after every cut. Because 桂 (guì) sounds like 贵 (guì, ‘noble, honoured’), the cassia became an exam-success charm. 折桂 (zhé guì), ‘to snap off a cassia branch’, still means to win top honours.

The giant sea turtle Ao (鳌, áo) is another legendary creature. The goddess Nüwa is said to have cut off its legs to prop up the sky. In imperial times the top graduate stood on a stone carved with an ao, which gave us 独占鳌头 (dú zhàn áo tóu), ‘to stand alone on the head of the ao’, meaning to come first. You can read more tales like these in our guide to Chinese mythology. 💡

See These Charms in Person

TIP💡 If you are studying in Beijing, the Panjiayuan Antique Market in Chaoyang District is one of the best places to see (and buy) traditional charms: coins, jade pieces, lucky knots, and Pi Xiu figurines all in one place. In Shanghai, the City God Temple market in the Old City area offers a similar experience.

Our teachers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu regularly take students to local markets as part of cultural immersion sessions. It is one of those afternoons where you stop translating and start understanding, which is exactly what learning a language is really about.

Chinese Charms | Activating & Using Them

According to tradition, Chinese charms require thoughtful placement, activation, and adherence to cultural practices. 

REMEMBER | Chinese charms are not meant to replace personal effort or responsibility.

They are tools that are believed to help align your energy, intentions, and environment to support your desires and aspirations.

Here’s a guide on how to use Chinese charms effectively, according to Chinese culture.

Choosing the right charm

Select a Chinese charm that resonates with your intentions and goals.

Consider the symbolism, materials used, and personal connection you feel towards the charm.

Whether it’s a coin, jade pendant, or red string bracelet, choose the charm that aligns with your desires.

Placement & Display // Per-Charm Guide

Once you have chosen your charm, find an appropriate location for it.

Each charm has its own placement logic in feng shui tradition, which is all about creating harmony and balance at home. Here is a quick reference:

• Coins and ingots: Place three coins tied with red ribbon in the wealth corner of your home (far left from the entrance, per bagua mapping).
• Bagua mirror: Mount facing outward above the main entrance, never inside a room facing occupants.
• Wind chimes: Hang near windows or doorways where air moves naturally; metal chimes suit north or west-facing openings.
• Laughing Buddha: Position at eye level, facing the main entrance; never place on the floor or in a bathroom.
• Pi Xiu: Face outward toward the entrance or a window; avoid mirrors and bedrooms.
• Lucky knots: Hang near the entrance or gift to someone at a threshold moment (new home, new job, new year).
• Red string bracelet: Wear on the left wrist. In Chinese tradition the left side is the receiving side, drawing good energy inward.

Display your charm in a prominent position where it can be easily seen and admired.

Activation & Rituals

To activate the energy of your Chinese charm, consider performing a simple ritual.

An activation ritual may involve holding the charm in your hands, visualising your intentions, and imbuing it with positive energy.

Some people prefer to light incense or recite prayers while activating their charms.

Follow your intuition and embrace the ritual that feels right to you.

Respect & Maintenance

Treat your Chinese charm with respect and care.

Cleanse it periodically to remove any accumulated negative energy.

You can do this by gently wiping the charm with a soft cloth or by exposing it to sunlight or moonlight.

Avoid letting others touch your charm unless it’s for a specific purpose, as personal energy can affect its effectiveness.

Intention & Focus

When using a Chinese charm, it’s essential to have clear intentions and maintain focus.

Concentrate on your goals, desires, or the specific energy you want to attract or repel.

This focused intention helps align your energy with that of the charm, amplifying its effects and creating a stronger connection.

Continued Awareness

Chinese charms work best when you cultivate an ongoing awareness of their presence and symbolism.

Take the time to reflect on the charm’s significance in your life.

This mindful practice deepens your connection with the charm and reminds you of its purpose and power.

Gratitude & Appreciation

Express gratitude for the positive changes and experiences that come into your life through the influence of the Chinese charm.

Cultivating an attitude of appreciation and thankfulness enhances the energy flow and reinforces the charm’s beneficial effects.

Chinese Charms | Summary

We’ve covered a lot of Chinese charms, and we hope you picked up something new along the way.

Here is a summary of all of them along with their symbolism.

Chinese Charms by Purpose // Quick Reference

Not sure which charm suits your intention? Here is a quick guide grouped by what you are hoping to attract:

• Wealth and prosperity: Coins and ingots, Pi Xiu (male Tiān lù), red envelopes (hongbao), goldfish and koi imagery.
• Protection from evil: Red string bracelets, Bagua mirrors, Pi Xiu (female Bìxié), bat motifs.
• Good fortune and blessings: Fu symbol (福), lucky knots, bat symbolism, coins.
• Joy, contentment, and positivity: Laughing Buddha, wind chimes, lotus flower.
• Spiritual growth and purity: Lotus flower, jade charms.
• Love and relationships: Double Happiness (囍), mandarin ducks, dragon and phoenix pairs, lucky knots, red string bracelets.
• Health and long life: Hulu gourd, the longevity peach and the 寿 character, cranes, five bats, and the longevity lock for children.

Many charms overlap categories. A jade Pi Xiu, for example, combines protective stone energy with the creature’s wealth-attracting symbolism. In Chinese tradition, layering intentions is entirely intentional. 💡

Chinese Charms | FAQs

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