If you learn Mandarin online or taking lessons with an online Chinese teacher, you may notice that some numbers are strangely absent from apartment floor plans or elevator buttons in Chinese cities. You must know that some numbers in Chinese culture are avoided due to reasons we find inside Chinese tradition when dwelling on this topic, and we hope that through this article you can gain insight into language and culture, seeing how superstition and pronunciation, and, daily life, intersect in modern China.
The most well-known example is the number 4. Its pronunciation (sì) is nearly identical to the word for “death” (sǐ), making it highly unlucky in many contexts. As a result, many buildings skip the fourth floor, labeling it instead as “3A” or “5.” In contrast, the number 8 is extremely auspicious because it sounds like fā (发), which means wealth or prosperity. Apartments, floors, and phone numbers that include 8 are often considered lucky and are highly sought after.
These numerical preferences influence more than just floor numbers. Elevator buttons, apartment listings, and even room numbering in hotels and offices are affected. Real estate developers often use this knowledge strategically, promoting units with favorable numbers while quietly avoiding “unlucky” ones. For Mandarin learners, noticing these patterns is a practical way to understand homophones and the subtle ways language affects daily life. Interestingly, these customs are not limited to buildings. Phone numbers, vehicle license plates, and even wedding dates often reflect careful attention to numerical luck. This shows how deeply language and cultural beliefs are intertwined in everyday Chinese life.
Some Chinese tecahing institutions like GoEast Mandarin in Shnaghai will also definetely discuss this topic with students in lessons, as it is something very daily to Chinese people and it is good to understand or at least have once heard of it.
Next time you’re browsing Chinese real estate online, or following along with an online Chinese teacher, keep an eye out for missing floors or repeated 8s—it’s a fascinating glimpse into how culture shapes the spaces we live in, and how language continues to influence behavior in modern China.
