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Depending on which country you’re in, there are different unlucky and lucky numbers. In the U.S., we often consider 13 to be a bad number or in Italy it is 17. In Japan, there are also unique sets of numbers that are either unlucky or lucky.
Next time you’re choosing a lottery number, try out the Japanese lucky numbers and avoid the bad ones. Maybe you’ll have better luck!
Unlucky numbers – 凶数 (kyousuu)
In Japanese, we call unlucky numbers 凶数 (kyousuu), which means numbers that are bad or bring misfortune. Since Japanese is syllabic, many of these numbers sound like words which are unlucky.
4 – 四 (yon/shi)
This number is unlucky because it sounds very similar to the word for death, 死 (shi). In Japan, people often avoid the 4th floor. It’s also uncommon to have room numbers ending in 4, especially in hospitals.
6 – 六 (roku)
Another unlucky number is 6. Its’ pronunciation as a counting number is muttsu. This can sound like the word for nothingness, 無 (mu). Gate numbers for airports, stadiums, and railway platforms avoid the number 6 for this reason.
9 – 九 (kyuu/ku)
Like the other two numbers, this number also sounds like an unlucky word, 苦 (ku). This word means to be in agony or to suffer.
42 – 四十二 (yonjuu ni)
This number sounds like “to die” when 4 is combined with 2. It can be read as 死に (shini). Sports players typically avoid this number on sports jerseys.
49 – 四十九 (yonjuu kyuu)
49 is a number that combines the two most unlucky numbers. When put together, it can mean the suffering of death. Like 42, it’s a number that sports players avoid on their jerseys.
吉数 (kissuu) – Lucky numbers
Lucky numbers are called 吉数 (kissuu) in Japanese. These are numbers which bring luck, as well as other qualities like prosperity, peace, and growth.
3 – 三 (san)
This number has been a lucky number for a long time. As you can see in the kanji, or Japanese character, it is a combination of one, 一 (ichi), and two , 二 (ni). It represents creation, time (past, present, and future), and the three elements of body, mind and spirit. When pronounced as a counting number, 3 can also be mittsu. This sounds like the word 蜜 (mitsu), meaning honey. Honey can be a metaphor for prosperity.
5 – 五 (go)
In the fifth and sixth centuries, there was a type of natural science and cosmology called 陰陽道 (onmyodo), consisting of five elements. These elements were water, wood, fire, earth, and metal and the number five came to represent peace and balance.
7 – 七 (nana/shichi)
“Lucky seven” is a western concept but it was adopted into Japanese culture through baseball. It was common in baseball for losing teams to overturn the game in the seventh inning. In addition, there is also 七福神(shichif*ckujin), which are the “Seven Lucky Gods” in Japanese mythology. This is a group of gods that come from Shinto and Buddhism and Japanese people believe they can bring luck in different ways. In this way, seven can be a considered a lucky number in Japan.
8 – 八 (hachi)
8 is a universal lucky number in many countries. When 8 is turned to the side it can look like infinity. In Japan, the kanji 八 looks like things are opening up and can represent prosperity and growth.
I hope this article on unlucky and lucky numbers in Japan gave you some new perspectives on what numbers can mean. Next time you’re in Japan, look out for numbers that seem avoided or that others find lucky. Stay tuned for more articles on Japanese learning and culture and check out my other articles likeOjigi or Bowing in Japan: Learn the Basics!
~Tanuki
FAQs
Traditionally, 4 is unlucky because it is sometimes pronounced shi, which is the word for death. Sometimes levels or rooms with 4 do not exist in hospitals or hotels. Particularly in the maternity section of a hospital, the room number 43 is avoided because it can literally mean "stillbirth".
Why is 7 lucky in Japan? ›
Seven is a lucky number in Japan largely because of its significance in Buddhism. Additionally, seven is used with the Seven Gods of Luck (七福神). Eight is a less popular yet still lucky number. In Japan, fans are a sign of wealth and prosperity, because it spreads from narrow to broad, meant to reflect wealth.
Is 88 a lucky number in Japan? ›
One explanation is that 88 is a lucky number, and believe me, luck is a necessary blessing on this pilgrimage. Earlier than 1689, it was mentioned although briefly in Murasaki Shikibu's Tales of Genji around the 11th century.
What does the number 14 mean in Japanese culture? ›
The number 14 means 'imperfect'. For Japanese people, it's beautiful precisely because it's not perfect. This idea is called wabi-sabi." Wabi-sabi is a concept that finds beauty in rustic simplicity, in objects worn by age, imperfect and transient.
Why is 4 and 9 unlucky in Japan? ›
In Japan, four and nine are considered unlucky numbers because of their pronunciation. Four is pronounced "shi," which is the same pronunciation as death. Nine is pronounced "ku," which has the same pronunciation as agony or torture. In fact, some hospitals and apartments don't have rooms numbered "4" or "9".
Why is number 4 unlucky in Japan? ›
Four is an unlucky number in Japan because it sounds like shi (死 – death). This is why there are two readings for the number four, shi and yon. Whenever possible, people try to avoid using the deathy one. The same is true of the ku (九 – nine), which sounds like ku (苦 – suffering, agony or torture).
Why is 8 a lucky number in Japan? ›
Eight (八, hachi, ya) is also considered a lucky number in Japan, but the reason is different from that in Chinese culture. Eight gives an idea of growing prosperous, because the letter (八) broadens gradually. The Japanese thought of eight (や, ya) as a holy number in the ancient times.
Why is 8 good luck in Japan? ›
Even in modern times people considers the number 8 as lucky number because the shape of the kanji “八” for it looks like spreading wide toward the future, which is believed as a symbol of prosperity.
Which is the luckiest God? ›
Hinduism
- Lakshmi: Goddess of wealth, fortune and luck.
- Rukmini: Goddess of fortune.
- Kubera: God of wealth.
- Ganesha: God of wisdom, luck and good beginnings; associated with wealth and fortune.
- Alakshmi: Goddess of misfortune.
- Jyestha: Goddess of inauspicious things and misfortune.
It is known that Japanese tend to be superstitious. There are certain things or circ*mstances that are uniquely explained sometimes through superstitious beliefs. One of those things are the concept about Lucky Numbers! Did you know that the number 3 is considered as one of the lucky numbers in Japan?
Abundance and Prosperity: Angel number 888 is strongly associated with abundance, prosperity, and financial success. It's a sign that the universe is aligning to bring material rewards and blessings into your life. This could manifest in various ways, such as financial gains, or opportunities for wealth creation.
What is the luckiest number in the universe? ›
Lucky number 7 is even the basis for many myths and folklore. Ancient beliefs from around the world believed that the seventh son of the seventh son would be gifted with magical powers (both good and evil). In the Bible, scholars claim that God created the world in six days and used the seventh day to rest.
What is the taboo number in Japan? ›
The numbers 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 33, 42, 43, 45, 49 and 893 are thought to be very unlucky in Japanese culture. The number 4 can sound like 'shi,' meaning death. The number 9 can sound like 'ku,' meaning pain, agony or suffering.
What does 33 mean in Japan? ›
The numeral 33, for example, can be pronounced sanzan, which may mean either "troublesome" or "birth difficulty," the numeral 42 can be pronounced shi ni, meaning "to death," and the number 19 can be pronounced jū ku, meaning "intense suffering." In 1955, the anthropologist Edward Norbeck dismissed such explanations as ...
What does 21 mean in Japan? ›
Twenty is "ni-juu" (2X10) and for twenty-one, just add one (nijuu ichi). There is another numerical system in Japanese, which is the native Japanese numbers. The native Japanese numbers are limited to one through ten.
Why is 33 unlucky in Japan? ›
The numeral 33, for example, can be pronounced sanzan, which may mean either "troublesome" or "birth difficulty," the numeral 42 can be pronounced shi ni, meaning "to death," and the number 19 can be pronounced jū ku, meaning "intense suffering." In 1955, the anthropologist Edward Norbeck dismissed such explanations as ...
Why is 13 unlucky in Japan? ›
Japan 🇯🇵: In Japan, the number 13 is largely seen as unlucky due to its pronunciation. The word for 13, “ju-san,” sounds like “shiju,” which means “to die.” Consequently, many buildings in Japan skip the 13th floor, similar to Western superstitions.
Why is 42 unlucky in Japan? ›
Number Forty-Two (42) — Number 42 is considered unlucky because the pronunciation is similar to the word Shini which means to die so it is usually avoided as it is believed to cause untimely death.
Why is the number 8 lucky in Japan? ›
Eight (八, hachi, ya) is also considered a lucky number in Japan, but the reason is different from that in Chinese culture. Eight gives an idea of growing prosperous, because the letter (八) broadens gradually. The Japanese thought of eight (や, ya) as a holy number in the ancient times.
