Why is it considered bad luck to give a clock as a gift in china?

Answer 1

because clocks represent the passing of time, so when you remind people that time is passing, you're indirectly telling them that they're gonna die soon

it's still a belief now

Answer 2

Clock As A Gift

Answer 3

Overpopulation. Ever since the Black Death the human population has gone up, and is now maybe around 7 billion people worldwide. Humans consume natural resources in order to sustain themselves. This means animals, certain species are being hunted, killed and sold to the point of near extinction or no longer exist anymore. Human population numbers expanding also mean the tearing down of precious forests by Real Estate companies in order to build houses and sell them while making animals homeless who's habitat(home) was the forests. Theoretically the human population may grow to a point when the Earth may not be able to sustain itself and become a wasteland due to the toxic pollution from factories, auto exhaust emissions, tearing down forests, and expanding cities. Unless there is another pandemic like the Black Plague, the human race will essentially destroy the Earth. A disease that kills off a certain percent of the human race will make like much easier because of the less competition for natural resources.

Answer 4

In chinese, the word "clock" 鐘 has the same pronounciation as the word "ending" 終.
送鐘-"To give a clock as a gift" sounds excatly the same as 送終-"to see them off in the end" which is more or less the same as attending a funeral.
It has more to do with ill will than bad luck. If done intentionally, it is percieved as a malicious act.
Nowadays, if you really wanted to give a clock as a gift, like a grandfather clock etc, you should tell the person in advance. They will reciprocate your kindness with a one dollar red pocket 利是 as payment so as to break the "gift" part of the phrase, thus making it okay to accept the present.

P.S. Another item to avoid as gifts for the exact same reason is bells. (i.e. anything shaped like a church bell)
In chinese, both clock and bell is expressed as 鐘.

Answer 5

because the pronounciation of clock in Chinese is "Zhong"
similar to the pronounciation of "funeral" in Chinese..

if you give a clock to a Chinese, he or she will angry at you. and says you want he or she to die.

that why give a clock as a gift in China is not smart idea.

Answer 6

in Chinese :
"give" = 送
"clock" = 钟
so give somebody a gift is "送钟"

The problem is "送钟" sounds the same with ”送终“ which means attend a funeral.

So you understand why Chinese don't like a clock as gift.

Answer 7

It means the person is passing in time and that he/she will die.

Answer 8

you're basically telling someone that their time is running out.

Answer 9

it is