Tetraphobia: The Two Faces of Death and Luck in Korean, Chinese, and Japanese Cultures

Exploring East Asian Number Superstitions Starting from the Elevator’s ‘F’ Button.

• The linguistic origins of tetraphobia, the fear of the number 4
• How tetraphobia manifests differently in Korea, China, and Japan
• The positive and symbolic meanings associated with the number 4

The Ghost Among Us: The Number 4

Have you ever taken an elevator and noticed that instead of a 4th floor button, there was only an ‘F’ button? Tetraphobia is a cultural phenomenon deeply embedded in our lives like this. Also called tetraphobia, this phenomenon goes beyond mere superstition, systematically influencing building design, military organization, and even product pricing.

This article follows a small curiosity sparked by the elevator’s ‘F’ button, journeying through Korea, China, and Japan to uncover the intriguing secrets surrounding the number 4. At the end of this journey, we will discover that numbers serve as mirrors reflecting a society’s history and psychology.

The Origin of Tetraphobia: It All Started with One Character

Every mystery begins with a crucial clue. The culprit behind tetraphobia is the ‘sound.’ More precisely, it was the coincidence of two Chinese characters sharing the exact same pronunciation: ‘four (四)’ and ‘death (死)’.

In ancient Chinese, these two words had very similar pronunciations. Today, in Standard Chinese, both are pronounced ‘sì’; in Korean, ‘sa’; and in Japanese, ‘shi (し)’, inheriting the image of death. This created a powerful ‘cognitive shortcut’ associating the number with death whenever it is mentioned.

This ’linguistic thought’ spread across East Asia as Korea and Japan adopted the Chinese character system, importing not only the script but also the superstitions embedded within it as a cultural package. Because characters symbolized knowledge and power at the time, tetraphobia took root more deeply and persistently in the cultural DNA of these three countries than other superstitions.

Different Approaches to the Number 4 in Korea, China, and Japan

Though sharing the common root of ‘4 = death,’ this superstition took different forms as it took root in the distinct cultural soils of Korea, China, and Japan.

Korea: A Subtle Taboo Woven into Daily Life

In Korea, tetraphobia is not loud or overt. Instead, it quietly permeates everyday life like air, creating a subtle sense of unease. A prime example is the elevator’s ‘F’ button. The number is acknowledged but the ominous ‘sound’ is avoided—a clever linguistic compromise.

This ‘quiet avoidance’ is found throughout society. The Republic of Korea Army has no 4th Infantry Division. Due to a series of unfortunate incidents, it was stigmatized as an ‘unlucky unit’ and permanently disbanded. This shows that tetraphobia strongly influences collective psychology beyond individuals.

Ultimately, Korea’s tetraphobia is less about personal fear and more a social risk management strategy aimed at community harmony and smooth relationships.

China: A Battle with 4, Where Numbers Become Price Tags

China’s tetraphobia is intense, explicit, and closely tied to money. The number 8 (八, bā), pronounced similarly to ’to prosper (發財, fācái),’ became a symbol of luck, creating a stark contrast between ‘death’ 4 and ‘wealth’ 8.

This contrast directly affects the economy. License plates containing 4 sell for bargain prices, while those with many 8s fetch astronomical sums. In real estate, entire floors containing 4, such as 4, 14, 24, and floors 40–49, are often omitted altogether.

This is the result of ancient folk beliefs meeting modern capitalism. In China, tetraphobia reflects the desires of modern capitalism that even trade fate itself.

Japan: The Unlucky Duo of 4 and 9

In Japan, 4 is not alone. The number 9 (九, ku), pronounced the same as ‘suffering (苦, ku),’ forms a powerful duo of misfortune. Both 4 (‘death’, 死, shi) and 9 (‘suffering’, 苦, ku) are avoided.

This taboo is especially strong in hospitals. Rooms numbered 4 and 9, as well as 42 (similar to ’to die’ in Japanese) and 43 (evoking ‘stillbirth’), are never used.

Interestingly, Japanese people often avoid pronouncing 4 as ‘shi’ and instead use ‘yon,’ a pronunciation unrelated to death. This reflects their sophisticated crisis management system that strictly controls anxiety where it is most needed.

Comparison: Tetraphobia in Korea, China, and Japan at a Glance

Another Face of 4: Symbol of Stability and Completeness

However, it is unfair to label 4 only as ‘death.’ Across East and West, 4 has long symbolized ‘stability,’ ‘completeness,’ and ‘balance.’

• Natural Order: The four seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter) and the four directions (east, west, south, north) symbolize the world’s cycles and wholeness.
• Symbol of Luck: The Western four-leaf clover is also recognized as a symbol of luck in East Asia.
• Philosophy and Art: The Four Gentlemen (四君子) symbolizing virtues of a noble person, and the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王) protecting Buddhist law, express perfection and dignity through the number 4.

Recently, especially among younger generations, there is a movement to break these taboos and embrace 4 as a symbol of pride, redefining its cultural meaning. This may be a glimpse of a major cultural evolution cracking the centuries-old ‘4 = death’ formula.

Conclusion: Reading Our Culture Through Numbers

Our journey, which began with the small ‘F’ button in an elevator, has shown that the superstition surrounding the number 4 is far from a simple phenomenon.

• Key Summary:

  1. Linguistic Origin: Tetraphobia began with the accidental homophone of ‘four (四)’ and ‘death (死)’.
  2. Cultural Transformation: This superstition evolved into different cultural codes: ‘consideration’ in Korea, ‘commerce’ in China, and ‘context’ in Japan.
  3. Dual Meaning: The number 4 carries a dual nature—casting a shadow of death while also symbolizing stability and completeness.

Ultimately, the story of the number 4 is a story about ourselves. Next time you ride an elevator or look at a calendar, why not see that number as an intriguing mirror reflecting thousands of years of history and the cultural psychology of three nations?