<Li> Stepping on the cloth border of a tatami mat brings bad luck . </Li> <P> If a funeral hearse drives past, one must hide their thumbs in a fist . The Japanese word for "thumb" literally translates as "parent - finger .". Hiding it is considered protection for one's parents . If this is not done, one's parents will die . </P> <P> 7, when pronounced with "shichi", sounds similar to the number four (四 shi). It is considered a good number since 7 symbolizes "Togetherness". 8 is considered a lucky number because it is nearly homophonous to the word "Prosperity" (繁栄 han'ei), It is also homophonous to Hachikō. 9 is considered a good number, when it was pronounced Kyū, sounds like a word for Relief. 10 is considered a good number because it is pronounced Jū, sounds like the word for "Enough" and "Replete". It is also a homophone for the word "Ample" (十分 な jūbun'na). </P> <P> There are several unlucky numbers in Japanese . Traditionally, 4 is unlucky because it is sometimes pronounced shi, which is the word for death . Sometimes levels or rooms with 4 don't exist in hospitals or hotels . Particularly in the maternity section of a hospital, the room number 43 is avoided because it can literally mean "stillbirth". (死産 - shizan: 死 - death / to die and 産 - childbirth / produce). In cars and racing, number 42 which sounds like shini (死に--to death) and 49, which sounds like shiku (敷く--to run over) are avoided . When giving gifts such as plates, they are normally in sets of three or five, never four . </P>

Significance of the number 7 in japanese culture
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