Japanese Symbol for
死shi
death · mortality
Readings
Meaning
Death, dying, mortality. 死 (shi) is considered an unlucky word and number in Japan — the pronunciation of 4 (四, also read shi) is often avoided in hospitals, hospitals skip Room 4, and gift sets rarely come in fours for this reason.
Example words
死亡
shibō
death, mortality
死後
shigo
after death, posthumous
必死
hisshi
desperate, frantic, at the risk of one's life
死語
shigo
dead language, obsolete word
生死
seishi
life and death
死角
shikaku
blind spot, dead angle
死 (shi) sounds identical to 四 (shi — four), making 4 an unlucky number in Japan (similar to 13 in Western cultures). This fear is called 四恐怖症 (tetraphobia — fear of four). Many Japanese buildings skip floor 4, and hospitals avoid room numbers with 4. The number 9 (九, ku) is similarly avoided as it sounds like 苦 (ku — suffering).
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