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.
Always curious about other cultures... What is the superstition, or
would it be a problem to discuss for superstitious reasons?
Greg
Mark Webb-Johnson wrote:
2019-09-19
MWJ 3.2.004 OTA release
-
Skipped for Chinese superstitous reasons
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