Hello there, this is Wendy from Shantou, Guangdong Province. Today my question is about superstition based on numbers. It seems that certain numbers are far more (than) counting tools, but also bearing mystical power. Like the number four in China. Many people avoid using this number as it sounds like death in Chinese. So it is widely considered as an inauspicious number. I wonder whether English people also have number superstition, and what numbers are regarded as lucky or unlucky in Britain and why. Thank you.
Wendy, Shantou
收聽與下載
As our listener Wendy points out, some numbers are more than just counting tools.
Some are lucky or unlucky, or to use the words she says: auspicious and inauspicious.
In the programme Finn and Jean start by talking about the number 13, which is famously unlucky in Britain and the Western world.
But they soon agree that there are more superstitions about numbers in Chinese than English.
So this week Finn asks a question about Chinese culture:
我知道在中文里有一些數字是代表了一些吉利還有不吉利的含意，可是我本人對這方面其實并不是特別的了解。所以請問一下你能不能幫我介紹這些吉利還有不吉利數字還有他們的根源所在？
Finn, London
Why are some numbers lucky or unlucky?
Listen to the programme to find out what Finn learns, and also learn how to talk about Chinese number superstitions.
Do you have a question about Britain? 你有沒有對英國的疑問？
Then email us at chinaelt@bbc.co.uk
歡迎你把問題通過電子郵件發給我們：chinaelt@bbc.co.uk
? MMIX