520 (wǔ èr líng) — I love you — 520 sounds like 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ...

I love you — 520 sounds like 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) in Mandarin. The most iconic Chinese number code for love, used in texts, gifts, and online chats. May 20th (5/20) has become an unofficial Valentine's Day in China because of it.

Example Usage

今天是520，我要告诉你，我爱你！

Today is May 20th (520), I want to tell you — I love you!

Cultural Context

520 became popular in the early 2000s when texting was expensive and young people used number codes to express feelings. May 20th (5月20日) is now a major gifting holiday in China. Brands run massive 520 sales, couples exchange gifts, and marriage proposals flood Chinese social media every year on this date.

Category: love-friends