Today Meimei is full of romantic optimism, because the day before our class was January 4, 2013. In Mandarin this sounds a bit like Yi Sheng Yi Shi (201314), which means "Love You All My Life," she explains. Apparently 10,000 Chinese couples chose the day to get married.

今天美美全是浪漫的乐观情绪，因为我们课的前一天是2013年1月4日。普通话听起来有点像“一生一世” (201314)，这意味着“一生都爱你，”她解释说。很显然一万对中国夫妇选择了这一天结婚。

"Maybe January 4, 2017, will be your turn!" I say.

“也许2017年1月4日将轮到你！”我说。

She shudders and I realize I have committed a terrible faux pas. "That sounds like 'I want to die'," she says in a horrified whisper. "That wouldn't be a romantic choice for a wedding date."

她浑身颤抖，我意识到我犯了一个可怕的社交错误。“那听起来像‘我想死’，”她用一种惊恐的声音小声说。“这不会是婚礼日期的浪漫选择。”

China's obsession with auspicious-sounding numbers never fails to tickle me, given that so many words in Mandarin actually do sound the same. In addition, there are a whole host of superstitious homophones that it seems only Chinese can hear. My birthday, May 20, is also a good day, according to Meimei, because it supposedly sounds like the Chinese for 'I love you.' Except that it really doesn't.

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