There are over one million superstitions(迷信),and most people believe at least one or two of them. Many people are superstitious about numbers. They think that there are lucky numbers and unlucky numbers. The number 13 is often considered unlucky.
In some parts of the world, buildings have no 13th floor and streets have no houses with the number 13. In Japan,“4”is considered unlucky because in Japanese the word“four”is pronounced the same as the word“death”. The Japanese never give gifts of four knives, four napkins, or four of anything.
What are the lucky numbers? Seven is a lucky number in many places, and“8”is considered a lucky number in Japan and China. In China, businesses often open on August 8,and many couples register to get married at eight past eight on August 8. Superstitions about numbers are so widespread that some people—called numerologists—make a living giving advice about numbers. In 1937,when the Toyoda family of Japan wanted to form a car company, they asked a numerologist if“Toyoda”would be a good name for the company. The numerologist said it would not be. He explained that“Toyota”would be a better name for the company. The family took his advice. As a result, millions of people drive“Toyotas”and not“Toyodas. ”
There are many other kinds of superstitions. There are superstitions about eating, sleeping, sneezing and itching. There are superstitions about animals and holidays and horseshoes.
There are even superstitions about superstitions. Those superstitions tell people how toreverse bad luck. When the Japanese bump heads, they immediately bump heads again. According to a Japanese superstition, the first bump means their parents will die, but the second bump“erases”the first bump. To reverse bad luck in general, people turn around three times, turn their pockets inside out, or put their hats on backwards.
