Tetraphobia

Tetra phobia ( from the Greek τετράς - " tetras " = "four" and φόβος - Fobos = " fear of fear " refers to the superstitious fear of the number 4, especially in East Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, North and South Korea ) and Malaysia ) space is widely used in Southeast Asia ( Singapore.

• 2.1 Italy

Tetra phobia in Asia

China and Hong Kong

In Chinese, there is the word四(Pinyin: " sì "; Jyutping: " sei3 ") for the number 4, which in many variants of this language is very similar to the word死(Pinyin: sǐ; Jyutping: sei2; German: death ) has. Similarly, can be found in the vocabulary of Japanese ( shi orよ ん( yon ) ), the Korean ( 사, sa) and Vietnamese (TU) words for the number 4, which can stand equally for "death."

Therefore, if a family member falls ill in these cultures ( especially in China) during feast days, or, taken to avoid the occurrence of these numbers in any form; Nor should 14, 24 and 42 occur, as these also contain the number " 4". Both in public ( hotels, office buildings, etc.) as well as private buildings ( houses) are skipped in the above mentioned countries, these floor numbers; in the same procedure is used with table numbers 4, 14, 24 and 42 at family gatherings ( such as weddings, birthdays ), or other social events. Analogously, in large residential facilities residential block numbers such as 4, 14, 24, etc. avoided by being substituted by 3A, 13A, 23A, etc..

In kantonesischsprachigen part of China, the 14 and 24 are even considered to be still more disastrous than the 4 itself: 14 refers to the " certain death " while 24 " easy to die " means.

In Hong Kong, there are buildings such as the Vision City and The Arch (the latter in Kowloon, Union Square ), where even all the floors were between 40 and 49 omitted: right after 39/ 50 follows F / F, what with tourists, which none of is known of the Tetra phobia of Asians, sometimes creates some confusion. Even with the Sorrento residential complex towers in the above-mentioned Union Square, the fourth was skipped. In addition, when the numbers of floors - through the blending of Western and Asian cultures - in Hong Kong (as in Singapore) both 13 (see Triskaidekaphobia ) and 14 may be omitted.

China brings the Tetra phobia militarily expressed: as the first type number of the Shenyang fighter aircraft is a 5: Shenyang J- fifth Similarly, moves the Navy of the Taiwanese and South Koreans, whose ships never get the vessel's identity 4.

Japan

In Japan, the number 4 is omitted in most residential buildings and parking lots. Is similar to the above described Western influences in Hong Kong and Singapore - all the way to the Western tradition - the 13th floor skipped. (In hospitals is also still avoided the number 9, since the syllableくku [ an alternative reading forきゅうkyū ] the word苦しむkurushimu, " suffer, suffer " recalls. ) As particularly ominous number is the 49 considered, as they in Japanese fragmentary suggesting the expression死ぬ まで 苦しむshinu made ​​kurushimu, which translated means " suffering unto death " means.

North and South Korea

Although the Tetra phobia is extremely less pronounced in North and South Korea, is almost always skipped the " 4" in hospitals and other public buildings again; in private buildings, however, the letter "F" ( engl. four) representative of the number "4 ". Also, the housing number, the multiple, the number "4 " included (such as 404), are avoided. From reports on the state railway company Korail is known that one of " 4401 " up numbered locomotive an intended jump from 4443 -actuated directly to 4445.

Tetra phobia outside Asia

Italy

A similar superstition is common in some parts of Italy. The number 4 is rumored there first, they symbolized a coffin, and could thus bring bad luck; on the other hand it stands for " the secret of everything and nothing."