88 and 521, bye bye and I love you (China)

I was just online with Elf, a friend from China. Elf was surprised when I signed off with the text “88”. I picked up this habit from friends in China. Most IM users in China sign off their chat session with a “88” or a “886”. “88” when read in Mandarin sounds like “pa pa”, - a bit like bye bye. Some people also say “886” - “ba ba liu”. The number 6 (liu) here is only to make it sound nicer, it has no meaning. You can use 88 or 886. Another common shortcut is “521”, “wu er yi” - with some imagination you can rhyme it to “wo ai ni” - i love you.

Elf sent me a longer list:

1. 596: 我走了 (wǒ zǒu le) / I will go
2. 456: 是我啦 (shì wǒ la) / It is me
3. 7998: 去走走吧 (qù zǒu zǒu ba) / Go for a walk
4. 594230: 我就是爱想你 (wǒ jiù shì ài xiǎng nǐ) / I just love to miss ya
5. 360: 想念你 (xiǎng niàn nǐ) / Miss ya
6. 2010000: 爱你一万年 (ài nǐ yī wàn nián) / Love ya for 10 thousand years
7. 1372: 一厢情愿 (yī xiāng qíng yuàn) / It is your business
8. 259695: 爱我就了解我 (ài wǒ jiù liǎo jiě wǒ) / Love me, so try to know me
9. 5871: 我不介意 (wǒ bù jiè yì) / I never mind
10. 82475: 被爱就是幸福 (bèi ài jiù shì xìng fú) / It is happy to be loved
11. 08376: 你别生气了 (nǐ bié shēng qì le) / Don’t be angry
12. 1799: 一起走走 (yī qǐ zǒu zǒu) / Let’s go for a walk
13. 5366: 我想聊聊 (wǒ xiǎng liáo liáo) / I wanna have a chat
14. 246: 饿死了 (è sǐ le) / I am starving
15. 918: 加油吧 (jiā yóu ba) / Come on
16. 04551: 你是我的唯一 (nǐ shì wǒ de wéi yī) / You are my only
17. 51396: 我要睡觉了 (wǒ yào shuì jiào le) / I will go to sleep
18. 537: 我生气 (wǒ shēng qì) / I am angry

Story of my life is saying 521, and 88 soon after.