sei3 sei3 seng1四四聲四四声
Jyutpingsei3 sei3 seng1
Yalesei sei sēng
Definition
Used to describe how the word "four" sounds similar to "death", implying an ominous or unlucky connection.
colloquialother
How it's used
This term specifically targets the cultural taboo surrounding the homophony between the number four and death. It functions as a way to label the act of mentioning the number four in contexts where it is considered unlucky or inappropriate. People often avoid using the number four in room numbers, floor levels, or phone numbers to steer clear of this association.
Examples
Don't talk about the number four, it's bad luck.
He is very superstitious about the number four, so he won't live on the fourth floor.
Related words
Common phrases
the sound of four is ominous
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general bad language or profanity. It is strictly a cultural superstition regarding the sound of a number rather than a linguistic error or a swear word.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
