In Ancient China, certain numbers were considered unlucky or unlucky. The number 2 was lucky because pairs were seen as a good thing.

The number 8 was also lucky because when you say 8 out loud in Chinese it sounds like the word for ‘prosper’ (which means to have good fortune).

The number 9 is also lucky because it sounds like ‘long life’. Because it sounds like ‘long life’, this number is used in weddings.

The number 4 was considered unlucky because it sounds like the word for ‘death’. People will avoid these numbers at all costs.

Even in buildings, sometimes there are no room numbers or floor numbers with the number four in them (like 40).