China and foreign stars with names sounding like Chinese character for horse gain popularity

Some Chinese and foreign stars and celebrities have trended on mainland social media in anticipation of the Lunar New Year, as their names or their Chinese translations sound similar to the word “horse” in Mandarin.An unexpected sensation is British actor Tom Felton, known for portraying a villain in the Harry Potter series. He has gone viral in China in recent weeks, with images of his character, Draco Malfoy, appearing in many homes and offices as festive decorations, according to Chinese Newsweek.Lucky Chinese sayings like “The horse arrives, success follows,” which means “Success upon the horse’s arrival,” as shown in the photo, are commonly seen at festivities in China, especially during Lunar New Year, to bring good fortune. Photo: Xinhua/Cheong Kam-kaThis phenomenon can be attributed to the Chinese translation of Malfoy, which is Ma Er Fu. Here, “Ma” means horse, “Er” translates to you, and “Fu” signifies fortune. Thus, when combined, it conveys the message that you will have good fortunes in the Year of the Horse.00:43Harry Potter villain becomes good luck symbol for Year of the Horse