八字在中國文化和習俗有吉祥的意思，由於「八」和發財的「發」在粵語諧音，因此不少廣東人認為「八」是一個吉祥的數字。In Cantonese, the word for eight “八” sounds similar to the word “發” which means prosperity or wealth. The number 8 is viewed as an auspicious number and is considered very lucky. For example: The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing began on 8/8/08 at 8 seconds and 8 minutes past 8 pm local time. The Air Canada route from Toronto to Shanghai is Flight AC88. One of Cathay Pacific’s flight numbers from Hong Kong to Vancouver and New York is CX888.
八方 all quarters；四面八方 in all directions；the Eight Immortals 八仙 in Chinese legends, but in Western legends, they have the Nine Worthies 九偉人，the nine heroic historical figures who personify the ideals of chivalry 騎士精神 in the Middle Ages。
在中國，因為九字是個位數字中最大的一個，經常表示最大，最多，無數的意思，例如：九重天（形容天非常高）、九霄雲外 beyond the highest heavens、九牛一毛 a drop in the ocean 等。Many Chinese today believe that nine is lucky because it is the largest single-digit number。另外，九與漢字「久」同音，因此代表長久 longevity。Nine is considered a good number in Chinese culture because it sounds the same as the word long-lasting “久”。Nine dishes are traditionally served at a Chinese birthday banquet（九大簋），the number 9 being associated with longevity。簋是古代盛食物的器皿，過去廣東人擺筵席，一般以九個簋盛九種菜肴爲以示隆重。In English idioms，the cat has nine lives 貓有九命 meaning cats can survive things that are severe enough to kill them。
Octo 是八的前綴，the prefix and the combining form of eight：octagon 八⻆形；octahedron八面體；octave 八度音階；octogenarian 八旬老人；octopus 八爪魚 a sea creature with eight tentacles or arms。Nona 是九的前綴，the prefix and the combining form of nine: nonagon 是幾何學的九角形或九邊形；nonagenarian 是九旬老人，a person aged between 90 and 99。
體育運動中，英國牛津大學和劍橋大學，每年在泰晤士河的划船比賽 Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race on River Thames，每隊有八名 rowers 划船者，加上一名 cox 舵手。8號球 eight-ball pool 是撞球運動 billiards games 的流行類型，近年全球有越來越多八號球的國際業餘賽或職業賽。8 is the number on the black ball placed in the centre of the triangle of balls。
漢語和英語的文化背景不同，數字上的涵義和聯想自然有異。漢語的八字，特別受歡迎；英語的九字成語特別多：
nine days’ wonder 轟動一時的人；曇花一現，很快就被遺忘的事件，something that is of interest to people only for a short time and then quickly forgotten。
nine times out of ten 十有八九，表示常常發生，幾乎每次 almost always 的意思：Nine times out of ten, people in Canada will choose coffee rather than tea。
nine-to-five job 一份朝九晚五的工作，從早晨9點至下午5點，a job with normal daytime hours。
the whole nine yards 全部，the whole of something, including everything that is connected with it; often used in the phrase go the whole nine yards 即是為了達到某一目的而竭盡全力。
on cloud nine 極為幸福 very happy，两個例句：I just bought my first new car and I’m on cloud nine. For a few days after I heard I’d got the job, I was on cloud nine.
Dressed up to the nines 穿著講究，衣飾華麗，dressed very stylishly with nothing overlooked，穿著最時髦或大方得體的衣服。If you are dressed up to the nines, you wear your best or most formal clothes。
A stitch in time saves nine 小洞不補，大洞叫苦；亡羊補牢，為時未晚。If you fix a small problem right away, it will not become a bigger problem later 問題愈早處理愈好，免得愈來愈糟糕。及時處理，事半功倍。
Possession is nine-tenths of the law 現實佔有，敗一勝九。If you actually possess something, you have a stronger legal claim to owning it than someone who merely says it belongs to him or her，即是說：佔有者在訴訟中總佔上風：The disappeared landlord may say he owns this house, but we actually live in it, and possession is nine-tenths of the law。
本專欄逢周二、五刊登
