Numerology and pronunciation.
The number 4 (pronounced like ’say’ in cantonese -
the dialect we speak in Hong Kong) sounds similar to ‘death’. It
is considered unlucky and generally avoided. While you may not
have a 13th floor in western cultures, in China the floor
numbers in apartment blocks generally go 1, 2, 3, 5, …, 12, 13,
15, …
In contrast, Chinese people love the number 8
(pronounced ‘baat' in cantonese) as it is similar to ‘luck'
(pronounced 'faat').
I live in house #8 in my housing estate, which is
considered good luck. However, as we don’t have a house #4, I
guess my place is really the seventh, and house #9 should be
considered the lucky one - but we don’t think too much about
that. We do have a house #13.
In cantonese, the one I hate is 14 (pronounced 'sup
say'), which sounds almost the same as 'water death'. We can
never stop after swimming 14 laps in a pool - always have to
stop at 13 or go on to 15.
The Cantonese and Mandarin dialects of Chinese have
different pronunciations, but the numbers 4 and 8 are generally
treated unlucky and lucky universally out here.
Regards, Mark.
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