debate The Chinese Number 4 Factor

namezest · Jun 17, 2017

A recent post by @Want2learn mentioning number phobia just made me think about all the Chip LLLL fanfare. It strikes me that in Chinese culture 4 equates to bad luck or can even equate to death.
So why would any Chinese investor be overly eager to buy 1234 character domains specifically LLLL (4) ?

I know I'm crazy but it makes no real sense does it? Especially to a superstitious culture like the Chinese have.

DnEbook · Jun 18, 2017

Newer generations may not be as superstitious, when money is involved things tend to get overlooked, will a Chinese domain name investor buy a name like 4444/Com ....... you betcha! It is a pattern name and one of only ten in this format (4N's) Rarity can play a part, there is plenty on Chinese domaining here at Namepros, have a dig, once piece of info that I thought was interesting was that 444 is considered "strength" "heart of a leopard" As for the LLLL market, they know it is liquid

Kassey Lee · Jun 18, 2017

4 rhymes with not only 死 (death), but also 谢 (thank you), 思 (think), 師 (teacher), and many more.

DnEbook · Jun 18, 2017

Kassey Lee said:
4 rhymes with not only 死 (death), but also 谢 (thank you), 思 (think), 師 (teacher), and many more.

Whilst no doubt true, the thing is everyone only concentrates on the negative,
~
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Numerology
~
At least this link shows some positivity
~
http://messagenote.com/feng-shui-2/chinese-numerology-good-or-bad-number#respond

Primary Names · Jun 18, 2017

In the meanwhile the chinese grabbed and are still grabbing all the great patterns with 4 in them.
Having a good laugh at the rest on the table.

DnEbook · Jun 18, 2017

Strangely double = double death but also adds up to eight .......ummmm?

Kate · Jun 18, 2017

NameZest said:
So why would any Chinese investor be overly eager to buy 1234 character domains specifically LLLL (4) ?

Simple answer:

it's not just about number 4 but the domain as a whole
they can resell the name to Westerners or any other people who don't have the same superstitions

Afaik 5 is a bad number for Greeks etc. Doesn't mean 555.com is not investment-worthy.

namezest · Jun 18, 2017

DnEbook said:
Whilst no doubt true, the thing is everyone only concentrates on the negative,
~
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Numerology
~
At least this link shows some positivity
~
http://messagenote.com/feng-shui-2/chinese-numerology-good-or-bad-number#respond

That's the thing all the posts requesting Numerics avoid 4 for the most part though don't they. I am now just a little puzzled why there was so much interest in pretty much bad domains even though they were LLLL 4 characters..

namezest · Jun 18, 2017

DnEbook said:
Newer generations may not be as superstitious, when money is involved things tend to get overlooked, will a Chinese domain name investor buy a name like 4444/Com ....... you betcha! It is a pattern name and one of only ten in this format (4N's) Rarity can play a part, there is plenty on Chinese domaining here at Namepros, have a dig, once piece of info that I thought was interesting was that 444 is considered "strength" "heart of a leopard" As for the LLLL market, they know it is liquid

I agree with you there repeating the same character up to a point is one of first domains to go whatever the extension is. I know everyone views things differently too, which is precisely why I posted this in the first place.
Is the 4 factor overlooked entirely? Or just when it suits?
Maybe I am being too analytical but I notice it, I noticed it to the point where I avoided the bad LLLL's on purpose even though they were cheap.
We all know what happened there eventually and I am sure newbies would like that ironed out too.

DnEbook · Jun 19, 2017

NameZest said:
That's the thing all the posts requesting Numerics avoid 4 for the most part though don't they. I am now just a little puzzled why there was so much interest in pretty much bad domains even though they were LLLL 4 characters..

When you use the term "characters" you are also referring to numbers, example ny22 (but that is another story) As mentioned we are taught to believe the number 4 is a bad thing, yet many of the good numeric sales come from the website 4.cn ...... so take from that what you want. As for "bad LLLL's" Some of them actually made sense to the chinese folk as acronyms in the pinyin language. To us they were just crap but to the Chinese, some (not all) we of good use and had meaning. The LLLL market is now segmented into Chips, Non Chips and Pronounceable. They can all sell but it will most likely be to another domainer who is willing to wait for "that buyer" to come along. Perhaps try and learn what has value in each category and go from there. Example will a Chinese person buy a domain that has both vowels and consonants? Quite possibly but they may require it to be pronounceable ...... just like we do. As time goes by the Chinese are learning to crossover to the western market as well (more sales opportunities) So to be superstitious would be dumb in this instance. As for the number 4 and 0 Of the few 5N's that I have 00436 gets the most inquiries, good luck

namezest · Jun 22, 2017

DnEbook said:
When you use the term "characters" you are also referring to numbers, example ny22 (but that is another story) As mentioned we are taught to believe the number 4 is a bad thing, yet many of the good numeric sales come from the website 4.cn ...... so take from that what you want. As for "bad LLLL's" Some of them actually made sense to the chinese folk as acronyms in the pinyin language. To us they were just crap but to the Chinese, some (not all) we of good use and had meaning. The LLLL market is now segmented into Chips, Non Chips and Pronounceable. They can all sell but it will most likely be to another domainer who is willing to wait for "that buyer" to come along. Perhaps try and learn what has value in each category and go from there. Example will a Chinese person buy a domain that has both vowels and consonants? Quite possibly but they may require it to be pronounceable ...... just like we do. As time goes by the Chinese are learning to crossover to the western market as well (more sales opportunities) So to be superstitious would be dumb in this instance. As for the number 4 and 0 Of the few 5N's that I have 00436 gets the most inquiries, good luck

Ah you cannot wipe out peoples beliefs whatever they may be. I did notice the shorter English language words are being snapped up by Chinese investors, however many are not in use. Maybe it's the four factor again or just language barrier? IDNK

DnEbook · Jun 22, 2017

NameZest said:
I did notice the shorter English language words are being snapped up by Chinese investors, however many are not in use.

Lot's of other folk not using their 4 letter domains either, most of the chinese names are purely for investment

obocar · Oct 12, 2017

DnEbook said:
Strangely double = double death but also adds up to eight .......ummmm?

I never thought of that.
Pretty clever thinking. Now you tell that to the Chinese people.

DnEbook · Oct 13, 2017

It's gonna take a while to convince all one billion of them!

debate The Chinese Number 4 Factor

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