Like many popular animal symbols, the grasshopper appears across different cultures and traditions. The grasshopper holds various spiritual interpretations, and although there is no single, universal meaning for the animal, it is widely regarded as being a positive sign.

“In various cultures across time, grasshoppers have been seen as symbols of good luck, prosperity, and freedom,” says Liz Roby, an astrologer, mystic, and founder of Astrologify. “In ancient Greece, they represented nobility and immortality. In China, they’ve been symbols of abundance, happiness, and good luck,” she adds.

According to Maggie Wilson, a spirituality expert and author of the forthcoming book Metaphysical AF, grasshoppers also represent taking big steps toward your goals and aspirations. “The grasshopper can jump horizontally—up to 20 times its own body length—so it symbolizes taking a chance or taking a big leap forward,” she says. “Grasshopper medicine is very much about leaping forward, never backward, and always trusting your inner voice.” 

While common interpretations of the grasshopper have to do with good luck and prosperity, the animal has also been associated with transformation, death, and rebirth. “In China, some believed that a relative would be reincarnated as a cricket or a grasshopper, so they would make little cages for them,” Wilson says.

And according to a 2021 study on ancient Egyptian symbols, the grasshopper would frequently appear near tombs and burial sites. It was also used in historic illustrations to represent life on the Nile River.