You do n’t do it often , but today was payday and you ’re feeling lucky . It ’s time to buy alotteryticket . As you stand at the counter and reckon which keep down to take , you librate the option . You ’ll unquestionably bestow a 7 to the lottery just the ticket . peradventure an 11 , too . But a 13 ? No way — everyone on solid ground knows that number is doomed . Well , everyone in the United States , anyway .
If you lived in Asia , betting odds are you ’d channelise exonerated of thenumber fourinstead .
The Origins of Tetraphobia
In many East Asiatic culture , include China , Korea , Japan and Taiwan , the number four is steeped in superstitious notion . This fear of the number four , or tetraphobia , holds so much power that many buildings skip the fourth story , much like how some westerly buildings omit the 13th .
In Beijing , fomite permit plates avoid the number four , and in Singapore , the Alfa Romeo model 144 had to undergo a name alteration because possible buyers were too superstitious to buy it . Even global brand like Nokia direct all the way of starting their phone models with this number .
The root of this concern lies in linguistics . In Chinese , the parole for the identification number four sound eerily similar to the word for death . This phonetic resemblance is n’t limited to just one culture . In Japan and Korea , the words for four and expiry are identical . In Japan , the number 49 is particularly dreaded as it sounds like the phrase " pain until dying . " [ sources : Times of India , Today I base Out ] .
The Impact on Business and Pop Culture
Tetraphobia , the fear of the figure four , has a profound influence on business decisions in these cultures . To thrive , businesses often check their phone numbers , product serial phone number , and addresses are devoid of this numeral . Western companies like Four Seasons hotel or Foursquare sometimes believe rebranding to appeal to these markets . [ seed : Paris ] .
But it ’s not just businesses that are affected . In the human race of movies , an action at law - pack thriller might avoid using the number four in its deed to attract to a global consultation . conceive of if manufacturer Michael Bay or Steven Spielberg had to look at this when naming their next big movie !
Beyond the Number Four
While the bit four holds significant superstitious notion in some civilisation , it ’s crucial to think back that every culture has its own set of beliefs and fears .
In the U.S. , the figure 13 is consider unlucky . In other country , different numbers or symbols might defy negative connotation . It ’s a engrossing coup d’oeil into how beliefs can form behaviors and decision on both personal and social levels .
Four Noble Truths
Did you know that the " Four imposing Truths " in Buddhism , which uprise from Asia , are primal to understanding the nature of suffering and the path to enlightenment ? It ’s an interesting contrast to the cosmopolitan fear of the number four in many Asian acculturation .
