List of lucky symbols

A four-leaf clover keychain

A good luck charm is an amulet or other item that is believed to bring good luck.

Almost any object can be used as a charm. Coins and buttons are examples, as are small objects given as gifts, due to the favorable associations they make. Many souvenir shops have a range of tiny items that may be used as good luck charms. Good luck charms are often worn on the body, but not necessarily.^[1]

History[]

The Mojo is a charm originating in African culture. It is used in voodoo ceremonies to carry several lucky objects or spells and intended to cause a specific effect. The concept is that particular objects placed in the bag and charged will create a supernatural effect for the bearer. Even today, mojo bags are still used.

Europe also contributed to the concept of lucky charms. Adherents of St. Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland), adopted the four-leaf clover as a symbol of Irish luck because clovers are abundant in the hills of Ireland.^[2]

List[]

This is a list of lucky symbols, signs, and charms. Luck is symbolized by a wide array of objects, numbers, symbols, plant and animal life which vary significantly in different cultures globally. The significance of each symbol is rooted in either folklore, mythology, esotericism, religion, tradition, necessity or a combination thereof.

Symbol		Culture	Notes
7		Western, Japanese	[3][4]
8		Chinese	Sounds like the Chinese word for "fortune". See Numbers in Chinese culture#Eight
Aitvaras		Lithuania	[citation needed]
Albatross			Considered a sign of good luck if seen by sailors.[5][6]
Amanita muscaria			[citation needed]
Ashtamangala		Indian religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism	Buddhism: Endless knot, Lotus flower, Dhvaja, Dharmachakra, Bumpa, Golden Fish, Parasol, Conch; additional symbols for Hinduism and Jainism[citation needed]
Bamboo		Chinese	[7]
Barnstar		United States	[8][9]
Chimney sweep		Many parts of the world	Said to bring good luck when being touched, especially on New Year and on weddings.[citation needed]
Corno portafortuna		Central and Southern Italy	[citation needed]
Ladybugs		German, Italian, Russian, Turkish, Brazilian, Serbia (Srbija)	There is an old children's song in Serbia "Let, let, bubamaro, donesi mi sreću" meaning "Fly, fly, ladybug, bring me the happiness". In Serbian, "sreća" means "good chances" as in a lottery or "happiness", but this is about emotions.[citation needed]
Dreamcatcher		Native American (Ojibwe)	[10][11]
Fish		Chinese, Hebrew, Ancient Egyptian, Tunisian, Indian, Japanese	[12][13][14][15][16][17]
Bird or flock going from right to left		Paganism	Auspicia[citation needed]
A monk passing through		Buddhist	[citation needed]
Four-leaf clover		Irish and Celtic, German	[18][19]
Shamrock or Clover		Irish	While in most of the world, only the four-leafed clover is considered lucky, in Ireland all Irish Shamrocks are.[citation needed]
Horseshoe		English and several other European ethnicities	Horseshoes are considered lucky when turned upwards but unlucky when turned downwards, although some people believe the opposite.[20][21]
Jade		Chinese	[citation needed]
Jew with a coin		Poland	Thought to bring money.[22][23][24]
Maneki-neko		Japanese, Chinese	Often mistaken as a Chinese symbol due to its usage in Chinese communities, the Maneki-neko is Japanese.[citation needed]
Pig		Chinese, German	[25]
Rabbit's foot		North America, England and Wales (originating from a hare's foot)	A rabbit's foot can be worn or carried as a lucky charm.[26]
Wishbone		Europe, North America	[27]
Sarimanok		Maranao	[citation needed]
Swallow		Korea	Rooted in Folktale 'Heungbu and Nolbu'
Tortoise shell cat		Many cultures	Rooted in Folklore
White Elephant		Thai	[28]
White heather		Irish Travellers, Scotland	[29]

See also[]

• Horseshoe
• List of bad luck signs
• Luck
• Saint Cajetan, Patron saint of gamblers

Notes[]

Sources[]

• Becker, Udo (2000). The Continuum Encyclopedia of Symbols. Continuum International Pub. ISBN 0-8264-1221-1. OCLC 461363881.
• Bessant, Claire (1999). Cat: The Complete Guide. Barnes & Noble. ISBN 0-7607-1718-4. OCLC 43543102.
• Binney, Ruth (2006). Nature's Ways: Lore, Legend, Fact and Fiction. David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-2417-9. OCLC 70059876.
• Chapman, Mark (2004). "Nominally Chinatown". Reed College Luce Chinese Studies Grants. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
• Cioccolanti, Steve (2010). From Buddha to Jesus: An Insider's View of Buddhism and Christianity. Monarch Books. ISBN 978-1-85424-956-2. OCLC 455828844.
• Cooper, Jean C. (1978). An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols. Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-27125-9. OCLC 61763660.
• DeMello, Margo (2009). Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encyclopedia. MacMillan. ISBN 978-0-313-35714-5. OCLC 318420875.
• Dodge, Mary Mapes (1910). St. Nicholas. 37. Scribner & Co.
• Dolnick, Barrie; Davidson, Anthony H. (2007). Luck: Understanding Luck and Improving the Odds. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-34750-3. OCLC 122309479.
• Eberhard, Wolfram (1986). A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols: Hidden Symbols in Chinese Life and Thought. Psychology Press. ISBN 0-415-00228-1. OCLC 18416687.
• Greer, Brian (2009). Culturally Responsive Mathematics Education. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-8058-6263-8. OCLC 262422858.
• Hackett, Olwen; Smith, D.J.; al-Athar, Maslahat (1984). Ghirza: A Libyan Settlement in the Roman Period. Dept. of Antiquities. OCLC 18457072.
• Hanson, James Austin (1994). Spirits in the Art: From the Plains and Southwest Indian Cultures. Lowell Press. ISBN 0-932845-66-5. OCLC 30859981.
• Helfman, Gene S. (2007). Fish Conservation: A Guide to Understanding and Restoring Global Aquatic Biodiversity and Fishery Resources. Island Press. ISBN 978-1-55963-595-0. OCLC 80180254.
• Iversen, Edwin (1996). Living Marine Resources: Their Utilization and Management. Springer. ISBN 0-412-98741-4. OCLC 32468091.
• Long, Michael (1989). "Symbol and Ritual in Josquin's Missa di Dadi". Journal of the American Musicological Society. University of California Press. 42 (1): 1–22. doi:10.1525/jams.1989.42.1.03a00010. ISSN 0003-0139. JSTOR 831416. OCLC 477562339.
• Marks, Gil (2010). Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-39130-3. OCLC 501320645.
• Parker, Barbara (2005). Introduction to Globalization and Business: Relationships and Responsibilities. SAGE. ISBN 0-7619-4495-8. OCLC 60559232.
• Sen, Colleen Taylor (2004). Food Culture in India. Greenwood Pub. ISBN 0-313-32487-5. OCLC 55475094.
• Volker, T. (1950). The Animal in Far Eastern Art and Especially in the Art of the Japanese Netsuke, with References to Chinese Origins, Traditions, Legends, and Art. BRILL. ISBN 9004042954. OCLC 600653239.
• Webster, Richard (2008). The Encyclopedia of Superstitions. Llewellyn Worldwide. ISBN 978-0-7387-1277-2. OCLC 173748226.
• Welch, Patricia Bjaaland (2008). Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery. Tuttle Publishing. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-8048-3864-1. OCLC 154701519.

External links[]

• "Why is Four Leaf Clover Lucky?". Tina Caro. 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2020-06-28.