Turning Red: Why Grandmother Wu Thinks the Number 4 Is Unlucky
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Turning Red.
Turning Red's Grandmother Wu mentions her distaste for the number four several times, leaving some viewers to wonder why it is considered unlucky. The film never explains the reason why Grandmother Wu and other characters believe this, leaving it ambiguous for those who aren't familiar with Chinese mythology and superstition. However, like many other aspects of Turning Red, the belief that the number four is unlucky comes from Chinese culture.
Turning Red follows Meilin "Mei" Lee, a 13-year-old girl who deals with all the typical problems a kid her age faces: anxiety, puberty, clashing with her mother, and randomly turning into a giant red panda. Eventually, Mei learns that her strange ability comes from a faraway ancestor who was granted the ability to transform into a red panda in order to protect her family. Mei eventually learns that, in order to rid herself of the curse, she must perform a ritual under a red moon, culminating in Turning Red's exciting ending.
In the film, Mei and her friends are massive fans of a fictional boy band known as 4*Town. As is mentioned several times, Mei's mother and grandmother are not fans of the band because of their attitude, provocative dance moves (or "gyrating," as Mei's mother calls it), and, most importantly to Grandmother Wu, their use of the number four in their band name and on their merchandise. This recurring point is not a joke or part of the film's lore, though. Instead, the belief that the number four is unlucky actually comes from a Chinese superstition.
The number four can be thought of as unlucky because the Chinese words for "four" and "death" sound incredibly similar. The word for "four" in Chinese is "四," which is pronounced "Sì." The word for "death" or "die" is "死," which is pronounced "Sǐ." This superstition is held in several East Asian cultures besides China, such as those of Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. So, the characters from Turning Red not liking 4*Town makes sense. Much like western superstitions about the number 13, some Chinese cultural practices involve avoiding the number four. For example, some Chinese buildings may lack the fourth floor, opting to skip from three to five. Some drivers even avoid license plate numbers that end in four.
The purpose of this concept in Turning Red goes a little further than just representing the idea, though. It actually thematically mirrors the entire film. Initially, Mei's family does not understand why she wants to keep her panda. As Mei's mother points out, although the red panda was initially important in Turning Red for helping their ancestors, now it has become more of a burden. However, Mei enjoys keeping her red panda, finding ways to control it and use her powers for good. Grandmother Wu doesn't see this at first, though, instead taking for granted that Mei unleashing her inner red panda is a bad thing. However, she eventually realizes its utility, changing her beliefs. Much in the same way, Grandmother Wu superstitiously believes that the number four is unlucky, only later finding out how it can help when she has to trap her own red panda in a 4*Town necklace. Turning Red uses the belief that the number four is unlucky not only to enrich the film's representation of Chinese culture but also to expand on the story's thematic importance.