Q: Dear Uncle Wang,

Why is there no fourth or 14th floor in my building?

A: In China, the number four is extremely unlucky. The practice of avoiding instances of the number four even has its own name - tetraphobia (the word comes from the Greek words tetras, meaning four, and phobos, meaning fear). The fear of the number four comes from the fact that the pronunciation of the Chinese word for the number four sounds similar to the Chinese word for death.

This superstition is not only common in China but also in other Asian countries, including Singapore, Japan and South Korea, where the word for four and death sound similar or sound the same.

Chinese are very superstitious about numbers. They still seek advice when deciding on the best day to marry, to get pregnant or to buy a house.

When superstitious Chinese decide to buy anything that involves a digit, they will take numbers into consideration. For example, they try to avoid the number four in house addresses, phone numbers and car number plates. They may spend a long time searching for a perfect lucky cellphone number.

Some companies decide to skip the number four altogether when bringing out new versions of their products. For example Nokia does not release any phone models in China that begin with the number four. Many people have trouble selling their property if they contain a four in their address because of the negative association it has.

But number 14 is considered to be the unluckiest number of all. The one in the number 14 sounds like guaranteed, so the number 14 translates to "guaranteed death."

It is not uncommon to get into an elevator in China with no button for the fourth or the 14th floor. They are often skipped to avoid being cursed or having bad luck, and some buildings skip any floors with the number four in it altogether, including 14, 24, 34, and all floors between the numbers 40 and 49. The fourth floor is usually called floor 3B or 5A. This is similar to how some buildings in the West do not have a 13th floor.

Seven can also signify death, while one signifies loneliness. Conversely the number eight is the luckiest number in Chinese culture as its pronunciation sounds similar to the pronunciation of the word for wealth, prosperity or fortune. The number 88 is considered especially lucky as it symbolizes the double happiness character.

The best example is the opening time of the Beijing Olympic Games on 08.08.2008 at 8:08 in the evening to guarantee the most auspicious start. Also the number nine is considered to be auspicious as its pronunciation is similar to the word for long lasting.

Please send your cultural questions about China to twocents-sh@globaltimes.com.cn