🌸 Learn Mandarin with Me — 1-on-1 on Preply!

💖 Get 30% OFF your first class 🎉

👉 https://preply.com/en/?pref=NjkzNjk1Mw==&id=1753189602.091521&ep=
check out my full profile:
👉 https://preply.com/en/tutor/2970664

Let’s learn with good vibes and great Mandarin! ✨🥂💙

From mirrors facing your bed to whistling in the dark — today’s episode is all about the small but powerful superstitions in daily Chinese life.
We’ll talk about why you shouldn’t cut your nails at night, why dried flowers are unlucky, and even why some people avoid taking out the trash after sunset. 🌙🧹🪞

In this bilingual episode, you’ll learn natural Mandarin phrases for describing these everyday "rules," and how to sound more local when talking about life, home, and nighttime habits.

💬 Perfect for HSK2–3 learners who want to go beyond the textbook and understand real Chinese life.

🧧 8 Superstitions You Should Know

1. 晚上不要剪指甲 – Don’t cut your nails at night.
In old times, cutting nails in the dark was seen as dangerous. Today, people say it can attract bad luck — or even 招来鬼 (zhāo lái guǐ) — attract spirits.

晚上不要剪指甲，会招来鬼。
Don’t cut your nails at night — it might attract ghosts.

2. 晚上不要吹口哨 – Don’t whistle at night.
Whistling is believed to call spirits — especially during 鬼月 (Ghost Month). Even today, many parents tell children: “No whistling after sunset!”

晚上吹口哨不吉利，会引来不干净的东西。
Whistling at night brings bad luck — it attracts unwanted things.

3. 晚上不能倒垃圾 – Don’t take out the trash at night.
Some people believe that taking out the trash after dark means throwing away your wealth or luck, especially around festivals or the start of the lunar month.

晚上倒垃圾会把好运也倒掉。
Taking out the trash at night might throw away your good luck too.

4. 不要送钟 – Don’t give someone a clock.
送钟 (sòng zhōng) sounds like 送终 (sòng zhōng) — meaning to attend someone’s funeral.
This is especially avoided when visiting older people or celebrating birthdays.

送钟=送终，太不吉利了。
Giving a clock sounds like sending someone off to die — very unlucky.

5. 不要用红笔写名字 – Don’t write names in red.
In traditional culture, red ink was used on tombstones or death documents. Writing someone’s name in red is considered unlucky or disrespectful.

千万别用红笔写我名字。
Please don’t write my name in red!

6. 卧室里不能放镜子，尤其是对着床。
In feng shui, mirrors reflect energy. A mirror facing your bed is believed to disrupt your sleep, weaken your energy, or even attract spirits at night.

卧室里最好不要放镜子对着床。
It’s better not to put a mirror facing your bed in the bedroom.

7. 房间里不要放干花。
Dried flowers represent dead energy (死气 sǐqì). They look pretty, but in feng shui, they’re associated with stagnation, sadness, or unlucky love.

干花代表死气，不适合放在房间里。
Dried flowers carry dead energy — not suitable for your living space.

8. 房间角落要打扫干净。
Corners collect 灰尘 (dust) and 晦气 (stagnant energy). Keeping your room tidy — especially the corners — is seen as a way to invite 好运气 (good luck).

家里要常常打扫角落，才会有好运。
You need to clean the corners regularly to keep good luck in your home.

✏️ Grammar of the Day

Today’s structure is simple and very useful in daily speech:

不要 + Verb = Don’t do something
晚上不要 + Verb = Don’t do something at night
[Place] 不能 + Verb = You shouldn’t do [something] in [place]

🧠 Examples:

• 晚上不要剪指甲。
  Don’t cut your nails at night.
• 卧室不能放镜子对着床。
  You shouldn’t put a mirror facing your bed.
• 不要用红笔写名字。
  Don’t write names in red.