Homonyms with the Number 13

• Unlike in western traditions, the Chinese consider the number 13 to be lucky. This is because the 1, when in the tens position, sounds similar to the Chinese word for "definite," while the 3 is similar to the words "life," "birth," or "living." As a whole, the pronunciation of the number asserts the connotations of "assured growth" or "definitely vibrant." The Chinese consider the number to be lucky because of this positive association.
  
  

When 13 is Unlucky

• There are rare times when the number 13 is considered to be unlucky. This is mostly rooted in the influence of Western culture and its fear of the number 13, called Triskaidekaphobia. In the Christian religion, Jesus's betrayer Judas Iscariot was the 13th person to sit at the table. Some Chinese hotels are missing both a 13th and 14th floor, as the number 14 has the connotations of "accidents" and is even more feared.
  
  

The Number 13 in Context

• The Chinese determine the connotations of numbers by the way they sound. Nonetheless, there are many different dialects in Chinese, and in not all of them will the number 13 have the same homonyms. Still, since the number's general view of luck is so widespread among the culture, even those who do not pronounce it the same way will likely be aware of its general notion of luckiness, whether they choose to invest in it or not.
  
  

Other Significant Numbers

• The number 4 is the most feared in Chinese tradition, as it sounds like death. The words for "prosperity," "wealth" and "fortune" sound like the number 8, making it the luckiest number. The Beijing Olympics started on 8/8/08, and license plates and phone numbers with eights in them are highly coveted in China. Various combinations of numbers produce even more specific meanings. The number 514 sounds like the declaration "I will die."