Tuesday, January 31, 2006

4 and 9

Do you know which numbers are unlucky in Japan?

The answer is 4 and 9.

4
You pronounce “yon” or “shi” for 4.
For example, “yonsai” means 4 years old.
shigatsu” means April.
Shi” has some different meanings and one of them is “death”, in kanji.
That’s why 4 is unlucky for Japanese.


You pronounce “kyuu” or “ku” for 9.
For example, “kyuusai” means 9 years old.
kugatsu” means September.
ku” also has some different meanings and one of them is “pain, suffering”, in kanji.
That’s why 9 is unlucky for Japanese, too.

Especially, 4 is said to be very unlucky.
Usually there isn’t room numbers including 4 in hospitals and hotels.
Like, room number 201, 202, 203, 205, 206…
Sometimes, even floor, they don’t have 4th floor in some hospitals.
Check out it when you go to a hotel for next time!

Does your country have same custom?
Do people avoid the unlucky numbers?

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:26 AM

    I know that hotels usually don't have a 13th floor, but for what reason I don't know really. Friday, the 13th is supposed to be an unlucky day as well. Usually fridays fall on every other day but that date, and it only happens once a year I think. That's as far as i know though.

    -Christopher

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  2. Interesting.

    I know that 13 is an unlucky number, but I didn't know they don't have 13th floor!
    In Japan, Friday the 13th is said unlucky, too.

    6 is also unlucky number?
    I didn't know that...

    How about people who are not Christian?
    Do they also care about the numbers and Firday the 13th?

    >silly how this is still around today....

    Yes, actually I sometimes feel that people care about the numbers too much.
    What do you think?

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  3. Anonymous6:32 AM

    Well, they have a "13th floor" but its usually not labeled or relabeled as "14th" floor. Some hotels do not allow acess to this floor by normal customers, because usually its a maintence floor where all the a/c controls and other misc. systems have their core locations. A good example of this is the Anahiem Convention Center Hilton. They have 11th and 12th their executive suites, skip the 13th and have an executive lounge on the 14th. On the elevator, there's a key where the number 13 should be, and instead of saying 14 it says "lounge". A lot of similar high rise hotels do this sort of thing, and as life mentioned hollywood films such as "the 13th floor" haven't helped dispel any supersition that is associated with it.

    It does seem really silly to do all of that work just based on a supersition, but in the case of the Hilton in Anaheim it really works for its benefit because its central heating and cooling units is more efficent because it is located in a higher place and therefore don't require the as much power to push cold air thru vertical ducts as if it were located in say, the basement level. Also, because they have two basement levels, both can be used for parking, which further benefits the customers in the space tight area around the convention center, as it is only a few blocks from Disneyland.

    -Christopher

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  4. I didn't know the bocabulary "Numerology".
    Interesting!
    Numbers are often used for fortunetelling.
    Maybe some of them are based on numerology!
    Don't you think so?


    >they have a "13th floor" but its usually not labeled or relabeled as "14th" floor.

    I just remembered something.
    I have a class for Japanese lessons in Tokyo brunch of an American fuge company.
    The office has 13th floor, but they don't call the floor "13th floor".
    Instead, it's named "Executive floor".
    Now, I understand!

    I checked with internet if Hiltons in Tokyo have "13th floor" or not, but I couldn't find out...

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  5. I didn't know that 6 was unlucky either (though I knew about 666 etc). Some people in the UK *really* get worried when they have to do something important on a Friday the 13th. People often won't marry on that day etc.

    Interesting that 9 is considered unlucky in Japan, for many British Pagans, 9 is one of the most lucky numbers.

    Tom ("667 - the neighbour of the beast")

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  6. >9 is one of the most lucky numbers.

    Really?
    I was going to ask you which number is lucky.
    Why 9?
    Does that have Christian reason, too?

    How about 7?
    We say "Lucky seven" in Japanese.
    Hmm... maybe it's just for Japanese.

    Also in Japan, 8 is a lucky number bscause of the knaji's shape.
    8 is 八 in kanji.
    The shape looks like describe that lucky (good) things will expand. (^ ^)


    >Tom
    By the way, what is "667 - the neighbour of the beast"!??
    Your middle name?
    Just kidding. :P

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  7. I tried to find my lucky number.
    My full name has 13 letters, then add 1 + 3 = ...4 !!!
    4 is lucky and unlucky for me! (*_*)

    About blood type, yes, Japanse people really care about it.
    In Japan, you sometimes have to (should) write the blood type for your resume, so that it's easier for the company to know your personality.
    Actually I don't care about it so much
    So I don't think it's a good idea though.

    >my blood type is O positive... can you tell my character ?

    Yes, I think so!
    The people whose blood type is O are...
    easygoing, optimistic, cheerful.
    Are these correct? (^ ^)

    My blood type is O positive, too.

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  8. >in the future I heard your DNA type maybe be used for your identification.

    That's so scary!
    It's too much I think.
    Maybe it's good for prevention of crimes though...


    Blood type is 血液型 (ketsueki gata) in Japanese.

    血 is "blood"
    液 is "requid"
    型 is "type"

    Type O is O型 (O gata).

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