Bad luck is an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate. This is a list of signs believed to bring bad luck according to

superstition A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic (supernatural), magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly app ...

List

*Breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years of bad luck *A bird or flock of birds going from left to right ( Auspicia) (

Paganism Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

) *Certain numbers: **The number 4. Fear of the number 4 is known as

tetraphobia Tetraphobia () is the practice of avoiding instances of the digit . It is a superstition most common in East Asian nations and is associated with death. Rationale The Chinese word for "four" (, pinyin: sì, jyutping: sei3) sounds quite simi ...

; in

Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...

, Japanese, and Korean languages, the number sounds like the word for "death". **The number 9. Fear of the number 9 is known as enneaphobia, in

Japanese culture Japanese culture has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia and other regions of the world. Since the Jomon period, ancestral ...

; this is because it sounds like the Japanese word for "suffering". **The number 13. Fear of the number 13 is known as

triskaidekaphobia Triskaidekaphobia ( , ; ) is fear or avoidance of the number . It is also a reason for the fear of Friday the 13th, called ''paraskevidekatriaphobia'' () or ''friggatriskaidekaphobia'' ( and ). The term was used as early as in 1910 by Isador ...

. **The number 17. Fear of the number 17 is known as

heptadecaphobia Heptadecaphobia (Greek: , "seventeen" and , , "fear") or ''heptadekaphobia'' is the fear of the number 17. It is considered to be ill-fated in Italy and other countries of Greek and Latin origins, while the date Friday the 17th is considered es ...

and is prominent in Italian culture. **The number 39. Fear of the number 39 is known as the

curse of 39 The curse of 39, also referred to as triakontenneaphobia, is the fear of the number 39. In some parts of Afghanistan, the number is considered to be cursed or a badge of shame as it is purportedly linked with prostitution. Origin The origin of ...

, especially in Afghan culture. **The number 43. In

, maternity wards numbered 43 are considered taboo, as the word for the number means "

stillbirth Stillbirth is typically defined as fetus, fetal death at or after 20 or 28 weeks of pregnancy, depending on the source. It results in a baby born without vital signs, signs of life. A stillbirth can often result in the feeling of guilt (emotio ...

". **The number

666 666 may refer to: * 666 (number) * 666 BC, a year * AD 666, a year * The number of the beast, a reference in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament Places * 666 Desdemona, a minor planet in the asteroid belt * List of highways numbered 6 ...

. Fear of the number 666 is known as

hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia The number of the beast (, ) is associated with the The Beast (Revelation), Beast of Revelation in chapter 13, verse 18 of the Book of Revelation. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of the Bible, the number of ...

. Per Biblical prophecy, the "Number of The Beast", signifies the return of the Devil and Antichrist. Also called the "Mark of the Beast", wherein all humans who consent to have it on their forehead or hand will be eternally damned. *

Friday the 13th Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year ...

(in Spain, Greece, and Georgia: Tuesday the 13th) *Failing to respond to a

chain letter A chain letter is a message that attempts to convince the recipient to make a number of copies and pass them on to a certain number of recipients. The "chain" is an exponentially growing pyramid (a tree graph) that cannot be sustained indefini ...

*Giving a clock as a gift in Chinese culture, as in Chinese, to give a clock () has the same pronunciation as "sending off for one's end" (). *Some believe hanging a

horseshoe A horseshoe is a product designed to protect a horse hoof from wear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface (ground side) of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall that is anatomically akin to the human toenail, altho ...

with the ends pointing down is bad luck, as it is believed that the luck will 'fall out' However, this is not universally considered unlucky. In some cultures and traditions, hanging a horseshoe with the ends pointing down is thought to shower good luck upon those passing beneath it. Additionally, some people personally believe that this orientation brings good fortune, regardless of cultural norms. Historically,

blacksmiths A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such as gates, gril ...

—a trade long associated with luck and protection—often hung horseshoes upside down as a symbol of their craft. A superstitious blacksmith and apprentice believe that the luck from the horseshoe will flow toward him or her, their tools, and eventually to whatever project they are working on. *Opening an

umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is usually designed to protect a person against rain. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used when protec ...

while indoors *On the

Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...

, rats are referred to as " longtails" as saying "rat" is considered bad luck. *

Navajo The Navajo or Diné are an Indigenous people of the Southwestern United States. Their traditional language is Diné bizaad, a Southern Athabascan language. The states with the largest Diné populations are Arizona (140,263) and New Mexico (1 ...

culture: **pointing at a rainbow **throwing rocks into the wind **a

coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans''), also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf, is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the Wolf, gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the c ...

crossing one's path heading north **an

owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...

flying over a house. *Placing

chopsticks Chopsticks are shaped pairs of equal-length sticks that have been used as kitchen and eating utensils in most of East Asia for over three millennia. They are held in the dominant hand, secured by fingers, and wielded as extensions of the han ...

straight up in a bowl of rice in Chinese and Japanese culture is reminiscent of food offerings left for the dead. *

Ravens Ravens may refer to: * Raven, a species of the genus ''Corvus'' of passerine birds Sports * Anderson Ravens, the intercollegiate athletic program of Anderson University in Indiana * Baltimore Ravens, a professional American football franchise * B ...

, crows and

magpies Magpies are birds of various species of the family Corvidae. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent cr ...

* Saying the word "Macbeth" or wishing someone "Good Luck" while inside a theatre **The substitutions "The Scottish Play" and "Break a leg" are used instead. * Shoes on a table * Placing a hat on a bed *

Three on a match ''Three on a Match'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime drama film released by Warner Bros. The film was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and stars Joan Blondell, Warren William, Ann Dvorak, and Bette Davis. The film also features Lyle Talbot, Humph ...

* Tipping a

salt shaker Salt and pepper shakers or salt and pepper pots, of which the first item can also be called a salt cellar in British English, are condiment dispensers used in European cuisine that are designed to allow diners to distribute grains of edible s ...

over * Viewing one's

doppelgänger A doppelgänger ( ), sometimes spelled doppelgaenger or doppelganger, is a ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its own fleshly counterpart. In fiction and mythology, a doppelgänger is often portrayed as a ghostly or p ...

may be considered a harbinger of bad luck * Killing a ladybug * Walking under a ladder * Black cat crossing one's path * Picking up a penny with the tails side up

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unlucky Curses Lists of symbols

List

See also

References