Taboo on books in casinos

[sukitc]

I read on the internet that Chinese will never carry a book into casinos, race courses, etc. This is because the word 书 sounds like 输.

Unfortunately, I just learnt of this just now, as I was in Macao last week and could have tried carrying a book into the casino and see whether they would throw me out.

Do you guys know whether this superstition is true? Or, is it just another made-up stories found on the internet?

[wai ming]

From what I've heard, there are certainly Chinese people (gamblers) who would be pretty unhappy if you gave them a book as a present. In fact I know people who (jokingly) say things like 讀贏 instead of 讀書 because 書 and 輸 sound alike.

There are also superstitious Chinese people who would be pretty unhappy if you gave them a clock as a gift (due to 送鐘 sounding like 送終).

[rob07]

I was in Macao last week and could have tried carrying a book into the casino and see whether they would throw me out.

The casino would probably be delighted to see punters carrying books!

[skylee]

It is not a made-up story. Some people do mind it. It is the same reason why a 空屋 (sounds the same as 凶屋 in Cantonese) is called 吉屋.

[dalaowai]

Same with some people not wanting the number 4 in their phone number, as it sounds like 死。

[abcdefg]

Most of the Macao casinos won't let you carry an umbrella in your hand. You must put it in your shoulder bag or check it. I'm pretty sure it's a security issue and not superstition-based taboo. An "accidentally" opened umbrella might block the view of the "eye in the sky" long enough for a slick operator to do naughty things. Similarly some casinos don't allow hats and sunglasses in their high roller pits because they are thought to foil facial recognition software.

[chrix]

there is even a 歇後語 about this:

孔夫子搬家 --- 淨是書(=輸).

(Confucius moves ---- all books (= loses all the time))