Have you wondered what's the fuss people make about numbers? Why are certain numbers good for some, and bad for others?
Chinese typically prefer the numbers "3" and "8" for the similar good fortune sound it has to the specific dialect, and tend to avoid "4" at all costs as it sounds like "die". Whereas Malays will go for "4" because it sounds like "dapat" which is "got". I have a friend who stays in a house No. 4, road number 44/4 or something like that. I would consider it "sui", but I guess unless one is not bothered, it is just a number, or can even be considered lucky to others.
Choosing numbers are not only limited to housebuyers (particularly the Chinese) but also for car registration numbers. My very first car had "only" three digits = 628, and is positive for the Chinese. Of course, a car registration number 238 or 823 would also be ideal for me eh? :P I personally like "13", but I guess if you are westernised and superstitious, it would be bad.
It is also interesting to note the telephone numbers people choose. Some are obviously not particular about their numbers, whilst others expressly go for the "nice" numbers:
***2859 ***1558 ***1714 ***6284 88889** ***6338 ***1938
***9993 ***2248 ***2628 ***5753 ***5849 ***7828 ***0958
When I first came to KL, my grasp of certain dialects was not that good (not that is has improved much now, but...), and I saw nothing wrong with the following numbers (amongst others), until one day a few years after, a chinese friend kindly "enlightened" me as to the different connotation behind the pronounciation:
6767 1967 4967 9967 6758 1167 9467 9767 3967 4867
I guess if you have these numbers and you are of the male gender, then one can either laugh with you or laugh at you. :P And if you are female, what can I say? ... LOL
One thing that has puzzled me though, sometimes I wonder if a Westernised Chinese or a Cina-AhPek would be more particular about numbers and its implied meaning. Hmm...
2 comments:
I think you will only be bothered if you are cina-apek!
to me, any number is just number. give me 9413 or 1414 also is just number.
why restrict ourselves with numbers? life could have been happier if you can see every number as good number!
Oi!! That one is my telephone number leh. Hahahah. Anyway, I didn't choose the number. It was randomly picked by my cousin brother to coincide with his 2849. That is why I keep getting phone calls asking for Michael. :p
Actually the number 2 and 5 shouldn't be together. It's not good - according to some cina ah pek lah. Stands for 25 - meaning somebody will stab you from behind.
Post a Comment