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14 Number Symbols And Their Meanings

Do you want to learn about number symbols and their meanings?

According to ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras, numbers rule all things, believing numbers had magical powers and even souls.

Plato, on the other hand, deemed the study of number symbolism as the pinnacle of knowledge.

Numbers have significant symbolic meaning in various cultures, superstitions, religions, and mythologies worldwide. The meaning of numbers has held a significant status throughout human history, influencing different aspects of human life.

Certain numbers contain deep spiritual meanings that are connected to an individual’s life journey. Beyond their spiritual significance, for many it is crucial to delve into the symbolic meanings that numbers carry.

On this post, let us explore the meaning and significance of various symbols associated with numbers. Here are some of the most significant number symbols and what they mean.

1. Zero (0)

When speaking of numbers, zero holds an important status as the starting point.

In numerology, it symbolizes potential, limitless possibilities, and the essence of what exists prior to transformation.

When you repeatedly encounter zeros in various aspects of your life, such as receipts or invoices, it could be interpreted as a message indicating the emergence of fresh opportunities and unexplored paths opening up before you.

These appearances of zero are believed to be signals for embracing new beginnings and the potential that lies ahead.

Akin to zero, the number 1 symbolizes fresh starts, new beginnings, and transformative changes.

The number 1 is often associated with unity and considered the fundamental building block from which all other numbers are derived.

By adding multiple copies of 1 together, other numbers can be created, highlighting its significance as the origin of numerical sequences.

The number 2 symbolizes various fundamental dualities in our lives, including concepts such as yin/yang, yes/no, male/female, me/you, left/right, alive/dead, and more.

It is common for humans to perceive and understand the world through these dualities, likely influenced by our inclination towards two-valued logic, which itself reflects another duality: true/false.

In numerology, this number carries significance as it represents balance, peace , and harmony .

Spiritually speaking, the number two (2) is often regarded as a symbol representing different things such as love , partnership, teamwork, mutual interest, friendship , service, personal growth, patience, learning, emotional balance, acceptance, bonding, and peace .

4. Three (3)

In some religions, certain numbers are considered sacred. These include three (3), four (4), seven (7), ten (10), and twelve (12).

Examples of number 3 in Christianity include the Trinity, Jesus preaching the gospel for three years, and Jesus rising from the dead on the third day.

Regarded as the perfect number, number 3 symbolizes harmony , wisdom , and understanding; birth, life , and death ; and the past, the present, and the future.

This number is symbolic of both endings and beginnings, denoting a divine essence.

5. Four (4)

The Bible includes four Gospel writers known as the Evangelists, as well as four horsemen representing the Apocalypse, while Buddhism incorporates Four Sights and Four Noble Truths.

The universe’s order is represented by the number 4, which symbolizes various elements such as earth, water, fire, and air.

It also corresponds to the four seasons, the four cardinal directions, and the four phases of the Moon (new, half-moon waxing, full, half-moon waning).

The number 4 is connected to expressing oneself, achieving personal growth, reaching maturity, and having a stable mindset.

6. Five (5)

Numerology suggests that the number 5 represents numerous concepts such as freedom, curiosity, and transformation or evolution.

It signifies not only a spirited and thrilling nature but also holds deep implications in fields ranging from biology and astronomy to faith and religion.

It is associated with human perfection, as a person with arms and legs outstretched forms a pentagon shape, with the head symbolizing dominance over the four limbs, much like how the spirit governs the four elements. This number is also connected to the human senses, with five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot.

In addition, the number 5 carries Christian symbolism, representing the five wounds of Jesus and the five letters of His name.

The highest number of the dice, number 6 is deemed the symbol of luck. This is the symbol of Venus, the goddess of love. For Pythagoreans, 6 is the first perfect number.

Numerology ascribes significant feminine energy to the number 6, seeing it as a symbol of nurturing and supportive qualities.

8. Seven (7)

The number seven (7) is important in Islam as it is associated with various things such as the seven heavens, the act of circling the Kaaba seven times, and the presence of seven verses in the first chapter of the Quran.

The number 7 holds significance in Judaism as well, commonly observed in both joyful events like weddings and sorrowful occasions such as sitting Shivah.

The word “seven” also carries significant symbolic interpretations. It represents a complete world.

Additionally, the progression from 1 to 7 is seen as a sequential journey toward reaching the number 7. This is also a recurrent number in the Book of Revelation.

The number 7 is said to symbolize a person’s journey to finding their divine life path.

9. Eight (8)

The number 8 symbolizes triumph, prosperity, and conquering obstacles in Pythagorean numerology. In Japan, 8 is regarded as an auspicious number.

The concept of infinity and spiritual perfection is symbolized by the number 8. It also embodies everything in the universe.

10. Nine (9)

The spiral form of the numeral 9 symbolizes a blend of continuous ingenuity and growth.

The Chinese see this number in a positive light due to its phonetic similarity to the Chinese word for “long-lasting.” It is closely connected with the Chinese dragon, which is regarded as a symbol of enchantment and strength.

11. Ten (10)

The number ten (10) can be seen in various contexts such as the Ten Commandments, the Ten Avatars of Vishnu, the Ten Gurus, and the Sefirot, among others.

The numbers 1 and 0 coming together, signifies a completed cycle and the beginning of a new phase of abundance and prosperity.

12. Eleven (11)

The number 11 has a special meaning in Germanic folklore where it is known as the “fool’s number.” As a result, this number continues to have a major role in a carnival that highlights the importance of satire and the presence of jesters.

Back in the early 1800s Cologne in Germany, the date November 11th served as a signal for the commencement of Fasching.

The Fools, known as Narren or Jecken, gathered in the streets to warn the guilds that it was time to initiate their preparations for constructing carnival floats and designing costumes.

13. Twelve (12)

In various religious, mythological, and magical symbolism, the number 12 is associated with ideals of perfection, completeness, and the harmonious organization of the universe.

It is significant in various contexts, such as its association with the twelve apostles, twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve Imams.

The Bible views the number 12 as a perfect number, denoting God’s power and sovereignty. It is also representative of completeness or the Israeli nation as a whole.

14. Thirteen (13)

The number 13 represents challenges, hardships, and mortality – deemed in many cultures the world over as an unlucky number.

Numerous buildings exclude a 13th floor, and many people steer clear of important events such as weddings or home purchases coinciding with number 13. Some believe that Friday the 13th is an ill-fated date.

Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, occupied the 13th seat at the Last Supper.

In Norse legends, Loki was the 13th guest to join a feast in Valhalla, during which he cunningly manipulated another participant into causing the death of the god Baldur.

So having 13 guests at a dinner party is often seen as unlucky.

Nevertheless, Jews see the number 13 as a symbol of strength and good luck even. At the age of 13, a Jewish boy reaches the milestone of Bar Mitzvah.

The number is also associated with the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy and corresponds to the Jewish principles of faith as outlined by Maimonides.

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Numbers – Definition, Types, Examples, Practice Problems, FAQs

What are numbers, cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers, types of numbers.

Fraction and Decimal Numbers

Solved Examples on Numbers

Practice problems on numbers, frequently asked questions on numbers.

A number is an arithmetic value used to represent quantity. Hence, a number is a mathematical concept used to count, measure, and label. Thus, numbers form the basis of mathematics.

For example , this is 1 butterfly and these are 4 butterflies.

$All About Numbers : Definition and examples$

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10 and 100 More than the Same Number Game

History of Numbers

The inscriptions found at archaeological sites show that early humans used various symbols to show numbers. For example, ancient farmers, traders, and merchants used tally marks to show quantities. In tally marks, a standing line is drawn for each count and the fifth count is shown by striking off the four lines. This, however, was a tedious way and it was not feasible to show quantities.

$Tally marks to show number quantities.$

Different ways of writing numbers were brought to use with the development of early civilizations. They used different symbols to show larger quantities. But even with these systems, it was not easy to show large quantities.

Around the seventh century, a decimal (or base ten) positional method, was perfected in India. This method used ten unique symbols to represent any number or quantity. These symbols are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8, and 9.

This system was spread across Europe by the Arab merchants, scholars, and conquerors.

This system is called the Hindu–Arabic numeral system, and it remains the most common system for representing numbers to date.

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Numbers in Everyday Life

Numbers are used everywhere around us. Your birthday has numbers that tell the day, month, and year you were born.

Numbers are used to keep track of time. We use clocks that show us time. We plan our day and events according to time.

Numbers are involved in buying and selling too. To count money and the units of an item, we use numbers.

Numbers are used for measurement . Temperature, weight , length , capacity , speed, distance, area , volume , and so on are measured using numbers.

Numbers play an important role in our body too. We have 2 eyes, 2 ears, 1 nose, 2 hands, 2 legs, and an adult body has 206 bones.

Our houses have numbers, bank accounts have numbers, and so do our cars, buses, trains, and flights.

Number Representation

A number system is a writing system for denoting numbers using digits or symbols in a logical manner.

We use the digits from 0 to 9 to form all other numbers.

With the help of these digits, we can create infinite numbers.

For example , 121; 34,987; 2,987,633; 459,227,904; …

This number system using 10 digits is called the Decimal Number System.

Alphabetical Form of Number

Number words are the alphabetical form of numbers. As the name suggests, these are numbers written in words.

For example:

1 One

33 Thirty-three

Symbolically, Using Numerals

Numerical symbols are numerals, such as Hindu-Arabic numerals (for example: 112, 415, 999) or Roman numerals (I, II, V, VIII).

$Numerals ( Numerical Symbols?$

Cardinal numbers are counting numbers . The numbers that we use for counting are called cardinal numbers.

Cardinal numbers tell us how many things, items, or objects are there.

Example: 1, 2, 3, 10, 158

Ordinal numbers give us the exact position of a thing, item, or an object in the list. Ordinal numbers tell the position of an object rather than its quantity.

Example: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 150th

$Types of Numbers$

Apart from the above, there exist other numbers, namely even and odd numbers , prime numbers , and composite numbers . These can be defined as follows:

$Even Numbers, Odd Numbers, Prime Numbers, and Composite Numbers$

Fraction and Decimal Numbers:

$Fraction and Decimal Numbers$

Example 1: Classify the given set of numbers as fractions or decimals .

7/12; 0.0008; 1.52; 100/10; 4 1/2; 7555.0

$Number as Fraction and Decimal$

Example 2: Write the numerator and denominator of given rational numbers .

17/21 (b) 4/5 (c) 25/22

$Numerators and Denominator of Numbers$

Example 3: Write the numbers in words.

Five hundred and forty-eight.
One thousand six hundred and sixty.

Attend this Quiz & Test your knowledge.

How many odd numbers are there between 64 and 90?

Sum of the numbers of primes between 10 to 20 and 30 to 40 is, four thousand eight hundred and eight in numeral form is written as:, what type of number is –5.

How do you find if a number is odd or even?

If a number is divisible by 2 with no remainder , then it is an even number. If a number is divided by 2 and leaves the remainder 1, then it is an odd number.

Is zero an even number?

When zero is divided by 2, the quotient is 0 and remainder is also 0. So, zero is an even number .

Can rational numbers be negative?

Yes, rational numbers are classified as positive, zero, or negative rational numbers.

Do fractions count as whole numbers?

Whole numbers do not include fractions or decimals.