Japanese Number Superstitions: Why Are 4 and 9 Unlucky in Japan?

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You may have heard that the numbers 4 and 9 are unlucky in Japan.

What Are the Unlucky Numbers in Japan?

The two best-known unlucky numbers in Japan are 4 and 9.

Japanese encyclopedias classify these as examples of 忌み数, numbers avoided because their sounds evoke unfavorable words.

Why Is 4 Unlucky in Japan?

The kanji 四, meaning four, has several readings:

The reading し (shi) is identical to the Sino-Japanese reading of 死, meaning death.

Common Readings of 4

Why Is 9 Unlucky in Japan?

The kanji 九, meaning nine, also has several readings:

The reading く (ku) sounds like 苦, the kanji associated with suffering, pain, hardship, or distress.

Common Readings of 9

What Does Imikazu Mean?

忌み数 (imikazu) is written with:

The superstition is closely connected with Japanese sensitivity to words and sounds. A number can feel unlucky not because of its mathematical value, but because one of its readings resembles an unpleasant word.

What Do 42 and 49 Mean in Japanese Superstition?

Some combinations create stronger negative wordplay.

Japanese encyclopedic descriptions of taboo numbers include combinations such as 42 and 49 because of these sound associations.

Where Are 4 and 9 Sometimes Avoided in Japan?

The numbers may be avoided where people are especially sensitive to ideas of illness, death, separation, or misfortune.

Hospitals and Medical Settings

Some hospitals and care facilities skip room numbers ending in 4 or 9 because patients may associate them with death or suffering.

However, this is not a universal rule.

Hotels, Apartments, and Parking Spaces

Some buildings skip room or space numbers containing 4 or 9. This may prevent guests or residents from requesting another room because they dislike the number.

But again, the practice varies by building and period.

Gifts and Celebration Money

In formal gift-giving, people may avoid quantities or cash amounts that strongly emphasize 4 or 9.

Modern etiquette is not completely uniform. The relationship, region, occasion, and type of gift all matter. Still, avoiding a conspicuous 4 or 9 is a simple way to prevent an unintended negative impression.

Funeral and Condolence Money

Funeral etiquette guides advise avoiding 4 and 9 because they evoke death and suffering. This may sound strange because the occasion already concerns death, but the purpose is to avoid adding another negative or painful association.

Do Japanese Buildings Skip the Fourth and Ninth Floors?

Sometimes—but not as consistently as Western buildings may skip a thirteenth floor.

A research commentary from the NLI Research Institute notes that room numbers containing 4 or 9 may be skipped, especially in hospitals, while omitting the entire fourth floor is comparatively uncommon.

Do Japanese People Avoid 4 and 9 in Everyday Life?

Usually, no.

Japanese people use 4 and 9 constantly in dates, prices, ages, addresses, telephone numbers, scores, schedules, and ordinary counting.

Superstition vs Etiquette

A useful distinction is:

Many modern Japanese choices are closer to the second pattern.

Why Do People Often Say Yon and Kyū?

Beginners are often taught yon for 4 and kyū for 9 because these readings are clear and useful in many counting situations.

Avoiding shi and ku can also prevent the negative homophones, but this is not the only reason Japanese number readings vary.

Are 4 and 9 Always Negative Symbols?

No. A number can have an unlucky sound association while also appearing in neutral, positive, religious, literary, or historical expressions.

What Numbers Are Lucky in Japan?

8: Growth and Prosperity

The number 8 is widely associated with good fortune in Japan.

The kanji 八 spreads outward toward the bottom. This shape is described as 末広がり (suehirogari), suggesting expansion, growth, and prosperity toward the future.

This lucky symbolism is separate from the internet use of repeated 8s as applause.

Learn more: What Does 888 Mean in Japanese?

7: A Positive Number in Several Contexts

The number 7 often has positive associations through expressions and customs such as 七福神 (Shichifukujin), the Seven Lucky Gods, and the influence of the English expression “lucky seven.”

3, 5, and 7

The odd numbers 3, 5, and 7 appear together in 七五三 (Shichi-Go-San), a traditional celebration for children. Odd numbers are also preferred in some ceremonial gift customs, although rules vary by occasion and region.

Is 13 Unlucky in Japan?

The Western association of 13 with bad luck is known in Japan through international culture, movies, hotels, and imported customs.

However, 13 is not the main traditional Japanese unlucky number in the way that 4 and 9 are.

Japanese Number Superstitions in Anime and Manga

Anime, manga, horror, and games may use 4, 9, 42, or 49 to create an ominous mood.

Fiction often exaggerates cultural associations for dramatic effect. A horror story may treat room 404 as terrifying even though real Japanese hospitals may openly use that number.

Useful Japanese Vocabulary for Number Superstitions

Natural Example Sentences

日本では、4と9は縁起が悪い数字だと言われることがあります。
Nihon de wa, yon to kyū wa engi ga warui sūji da to iwareru koto ga arimasu.
In Japan, 4 and 9 are sometimes said to be unlucky numbers.

4は「死」、9は「苦」を連想させます。
Yon wa “shi,” kyū wa “ku” o rensō sasemasu.
Four evokes “death,” and nine evokes “suffering.”

この病院では、4号室を使っていません。
Kono byōin de wa, yon-gōshitsu o tsukatte imasen.
This hospital does not use room number four.

すべての病院が4や9を避けるわけではありません。
Subete no byōin ga yon ya kyū o sakeru wake de wa arimasen.
Not every hospital avoids 4 and 9.

お祝いなので、4,000円は避けたほうが無難です。
Oiwai na node, yon-sen-en wa saketa hō ga bunan desu.
Because it is a celebration, it is safer to avoid giving 4,000 yen.

私は数字の迷信をあまり気にしません。
Watashi wa sūji no meishin o amari ki ni shimasen.
I do not care much about number superstitions.

八は末広がりで縁起がいいとされています。
Hachi wa suehirogari de engi ga ii to sarete imasu.
Eight is considered auspicious because its shape widens toward the bottom.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1: Saying “All Japanese People Are Afraid of 4 and 9”

Attitudes vary. Many people simply recognize the custom or follow it in formal situations.

Mistake 2: Believing Japanese Hospitals Never Use 4 or 9

Some skip the numbers, while others use rooms such as 404, 409, or 9. It is not a nationwide rule.

Mistake 3: Avoiding Shi and Ku in Every Word

Shigatsu, shiki, kugatsu, and kuji are normal Japanese words.

Mistake 4: Assuming Every 4 or 9 Is Symbolic

A price of 490 yen or page 49 is normally just a number unless the context intentionally creates wordplay.

Mistake 5: Treating Superstition as a Scientific Rule

The custom reflects language, symbolism, and etiquette—not evidence that a number changes physical events.

Mistake 6: Ignoring the Recipient’s Feelings

Even when you do not believe the superstition, avoiding 4 or 9 in a formal gift can show cultural awareness.

FAQ About Unlucky Numbers in Japan

What are the unlucky numbers in Japan?

The best-known unlucky numbers are 4 and 9. Four can be read shi, like “death,” and nine can be read ku, like “suffering.”

Why is 4 unlucky in Japan?

One reading of 四 is shi, which sounds exactly like 死, meaning death.

Why is 9 unlucky in Japan?

One reading of 九 is ku, which sounds like 苦, meaning suffering, pain, or hardship.

Is 4 always pronounced shi?

No. Four can be read shi, yon, yo, yotsu, or yottsu, depending on the word and counter.

Is 9 always pronounced ku?

No. Nine can be read kyū, ku, kokono, or kokonotsu, depending on the expression.

Do Japanese hospitals have fourth floors?

Yes. Many hospitals have fourth floors. Some facilities skip certain room numbers, but there is no universal prohibition against a fourth floor.

Do Japanese hospitals have room 404?

Some do. Official hospital listings include rooms numbered 404 and 409. Number avoidance varies by institution.

What do 42 and 49 mean in Japan?

In sound-based superstition, 42 can suggest shini, related to “die,” while 49 can suggest shiku, associated with death and suffering.

Should I avoid giving four gifts in Japan?

For a close friend in an ordinary situation, four items are not automatically offensive. For formal celebrations, hospital visits, or ceremonial gifts, avoiding a conspicuous 4 or 9 is safer.

Is 8 lucky in Japan?

Yes, it is often considered auspicious. The kanji 八 widens toward the bottom and suggests suehirogari, future growth and prosperity.

Is 13 unlucky in Japan?

The Western superstition surrounding 13 is known in Japan, but the main traditional Japanese unlucky numbers are 4 and 9.

Do all Japanese people believe number superstitions?

No. Belief and practice vary. Some people take them seriously, some follow them only as etiquette, and others do not care.

Related Japanese Number Articles

Summary: Japanese Number Superstitions

References

• Kotobank: 忌み数 — encyclopedia explanation of numbers avoided because their sounds suggest inauspicious words, including 4, 9, 42, and 49.
• Kotobank: 忌数 — dictionary definitions identifying 4 and 9 as taboo numbers.
• Kanjipedia: 四 — readings shi, yo, yotsu, yottsu, and yon.
• Kanjipedia: 九 — readings kyū, ku, kokono, and kokonotsu.
• Kanjipedia: 死 — reading shi and the meaning death.
• Kanjipedia: 苦 — reading ku and meanings connected with suffering and hardship.
• NLI Research Institute: The number 4 in Japan — discussion of room-number avoidance and the relative rarity of omitting an entire fourth floor.
• University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science Hospital: Room listings — official example including rooms 404 and 409.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Center: Room listings — official examples of rooms numbered 4 and 9.
• All Japan Funeral Directors Co-Operation: Condolence money etiquette — advises avoiding amounts associated with 4 and 9.
• Japan Association for Financial Planners: Wedding gift-money etiquette — notes continued avoidance of amounts emphasizing 4 or 9.
• Government of Japan: The auspicious image of 八 — explains 8 and 末広がり.