The Number 4 Brings Bad Luck in East Asia

Death by Digits and Superstitious Speech

Details

According to widespread belief in several East Asian cultures, the number four carries significant misfortune due to its phonetic similarity to the word for “death” in several languages. This powerful numerical taboo manifests in building floors skipping from 3 to 5, omitted room numbers, product lines avoiding four-piece sets, and the careful avoidance of the number in gifts, important dates, and phone numbers. Some traditions specify that combinations containing four (14, 24, etc.) are equally inauspicious, while others consider four particularly dangerous in contexts related to health, hospitals, or elderly individuals.

Historical Context

This linguistic numerical avoidance has specific cultural origins:

In Mandarin Chinese, “four” (sì) sounds similar to “death” (sǐ), differing only in tone
Japanese “shi” means both “four” and “death” with identical pronunciation
Korean and Vietnamese languages maintain similar phonetic connections between four and death
The superstition intensified during periods when number symbolism and divination gained cultural importance
Comparable linguistic-based numerical superstitions exist in other language families worldwide

This numerical taboo exemplifies how phonetic coincidences can create powerful cultural associations when connected to universally feared concepts like death.

Modern Relevance

This numerical avoidance remains remarkably prevalent in modern East Asian society and diaspora communities worldwide. Contemporary high-rises throughout East Asia routinely skip floors containing four (4, 14, 24, etc.). Hospitals particularly avoid the number in room and floor designations. Mobile phone providers charge premium prices for numbers without fours, while those containing multiple fours sell at substantial discounts. This numerical taboo has significant economic implications in real estate, product design, and service pricing. The persistence of this superstition demonstrates how linguistic associations can create powerful cultural taboos that resist change even amid modernization and scientific education.

Sources

Yong, T. T. (1994). “Numerology in Chinese Culture.” East Asian History, 8, 25–38.
Wong, E. (1996). Feng Shui: The Ancient Wisdom of Harmonious Living for Modern Times. Shambhala.

Quick Facts

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