Number 4 Is Deeply Unlucky

The number 4 is so unlucky that buildings skip the 4th, 14th, 24th, and sometimes even 40-49th floors. Phone numbers and license plates with 4 are cheaper. Addresses with 4 lower property values.

Just like in Japanese, the Mandarin word for four ("sì" 四) sounds very similar to the word for death ("sǐ" 死). This tetraphobia is arguably even stronger in China than Japan, affecting everything from architecture to business deals.

Same as Japan — a linguistic coincidence that became deeply embedded cultural practice. No number has inherent luck properties. But the economic impact is very real: apartments on the 4th floor sell for measurably less, and phone numbers without any 4s command premium prices.

Some Chinese skyscrapers go from floor 3 to floor 5, 13 to 15, and skip everything in the 40s. A 50-story building might only have 36 actual floors. Real estate developers, phone companies, and even car manufacturers design around this belief. In 2026, the number 4 costs actual money to avoid.