View Chinese Culture - #1 for an explanation of this series.
Chinese Superstition: The Number 4
The number 4 is very unlucky to the Chinese. The reason for this is that its pronunciation is the same as the word for Death.
The number four is 'Si' (say 'Sir' but drop the 'r').
As a result, anything to do with 4 is to be avoided. How so? Don't buy 4 of something, buy 3 or 5. Don't celebrate a birthday with for in it: 4, 40, 44 (really bad), etc. To receive a gift of 4 things is also to be avoided. And you certainly cannot serve 4 dishes at dinner.
We even avoided giving a silver coin to my father-in-law because the year was 2004.
Play it safe in the Chinese community and avoid the number 4.
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