Which floor you are on

Press 1 in a lift and you arrive somewhere different depending on which country you are standing in. 74 of 101 jurisdictions call the entrance level zero or G; 14 call it the first floor. 11 are mixed and 2 could not be established.

This is the plainest case in the building of a number that is not a quantity. The digit on the button is an ordinal in one convention and a cardinal in the other, and nothing on the button says which — so the mark is ambiguous by construction, worldwide, permanently.

53 of 101 record braille on the buttons and 22 record an audio announcement. Where the number is ambiguous and unspoken, the ambiguity falls hardest on whoever cannot see the doors open.

The table below is jurisdictions only. The register also carries 6 rows that are not jurisdictions at all — Jewish, Chinese, Japanese, Islamic, Christian/Western and the Friday-the-13th superstition. Those are traditions of number avoidance, and listing a religion in a column of countries would state something the data does not. They appear under the numbers that go missing instead, which is what they are actually about.

Filter by country or local term

Country	Entrance is	Called	Then comes	Held
AlbaniaAL	P (përdhes) ground is zero	kati përdhesë kati përdhesë	kati i parë — first above ground	traditional
AlgeriaDZ	RDC ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée (RDC) rez-de-chaussée	1er étage	traditional
ArgentinaAR	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
AustraliaAU	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	the level above the entrance (Level 1)	traditional
AustriaAT	EG ground is zero	Erdgeschoss (Geschoß) Erdgeschoss	1. Stock / 1. Obergeschoss (first level above ground)	traditional
BahrainBH	G ground is zero	طابق أرضي / Ground Floor aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الطابق الأول)	folk
BangladeshBD	G ground is zero	তলা tala	the level above the entrance is numbered '1'/'1st floor' (first elevation), British/Commonwealth scheme	traditional
BarbadosBB	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	1 (first floor) above ground	traditional
BelgiumBE	G ground is zero	gelijkvloers / rez-de-chaussée / Parterre gelijkvloers / rez-de-chaussee / Parterre	1ste verdieping / 1er étage (first level above ground)	traditional
BoliviaBO	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBA	P (prizemlje) ground is zero	prizemlje prizemlje	1. sprat — first above ground	traditional
BrazilBR	T ground is zero	térreo térreo	1º andar (primeiro andar)	traditional
BulgariaBG	P (партер) mixed	партер parter	първи етаж (pŭrvi etazh) — first above ground in building signage; but in the cadastre the партер is registered as 'първи етаж' and the storey above it as 'втори етаж' (2nd)	traditional
CanadaCA	1 ground is one	first floor / ground floor first floor / ground floor	the entrance level; the level above is the 2nd floor	traditional
ChileCL	1 / PB mixed	primer piso (also planta baja) primer piso	colloquially 'segundo piso'; elevator labels vary	traditional
ColombiaCO	1 / PB mixed	primer piso (also planta baja) primer piso	colloquially 'segundo piso'	traditional
Costa RicaCR	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
CroatiaHR	P / PR (prizemlje) ground is zero	prizemlje prizemlje	1. kat — first above ground	traditional
CyprusCY	ΙΣ (or 0) ground is zero	ισόγειο isogeio	1ος όροφος (protos orofos) — first above ground	traditional
CzechiaCZ	0 ground is zero	přízemí prizemi	1. patro (first level above the ground); in the construction convention the ground is '1. NP' (první nadzemní podlaží) and the first floor above is '2. NP'	traditional
DenmarkDK	S ground is zero	stueetage / stuen stueetage / stuen	første etage / første sal (first level above ground)	traditional
Dominican RepublicDO	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
EcuadorEC	1 / PB mixed	primer piso (also planta baja) primer piso	colloquially 'segundo piso'	traditional
EgyptEG	G ground is zero	دور أرضي / الطابق الأرضي / Ground Floor dawr arḍī / aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الدور الأول)	traditional
El SalvadorSV	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
EstoniaEE	1 (esimene korrus) ground is one	esimene korrus esimene korrus	2. korrus (teine korrus) — the storey above ground is called the SECOND floor	traditional
EthiopiaET	G ground is zero	Ground Floor (English signage in Addis Ababa)	1st Floor	folk
FinlandFI	1 ground is one	pohjakerros / ensimmäinen kerros pohjakerros / ensimmainen kerros	the entrance level itself; the level above is 2. kerros	traditional
FranceFR	RDC ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée rez-de-chaussee	1er étage (the first level above the ground floor)	traditional
GermanyDE	EG ground is zero	Erdgeschoss Erdgeschoss	1. Obergeschoss (1. OG / 1. Stock) - the first level above the ground floor	traditional
GhanaGH	G mixed	Ground Floor	1st Floor (some buildings label the entrance '1st Floor')	traditional
GreeceGR	ΙΣ (or 0) ground is zero	ισόγειο isogeio	1ος όροφος (protos orofos) — first above ground	traditional
GuatemalaGT	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
HondurasHN	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
Hong KongHK	G ground is zero	地下 dei6 haa6	1 (一樓, jat1 lau4)	traditional
HungaryHU	0 (földszint / F) ground is zero	földszint földszint	1. emelet — first above ground	traditional
IcelandIS	1.hæð / JH (jarðhæð) mixed	jarðhæð jarðhæð	Disputed between '2. hæð' (if ground is counted as 1st, North American scheme) and '1. hæð' (if ground is the named jarðhæð and the first above-ground is numbered 1, European scheme)	traditional
IndiaIN	G ground is zero	भूतल bhūtal	the level immediately above the entrance is '1'/'1st floor' (the first elevation); ground floor itself is not counted as floor 1	folk
IndonesiaID	1 (American scheme: lantai pertama = lantai dasar) or G/GF mixed	lantai dasar (ground floor); G/GF; 'bintang' (star) sometimes marks the entrance floor	2 (lantai dua) in American-scheme buildings; lantai satu in European-scheme buildings	traditional
IrelandIE	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	the level above the entrance (labelled 1)	traditional
IsraelIL	0 / K (קומת קרקע) in many buildings; 1 in some towers mixed	קומת קרקע komat karka	קומה 1 (koma 1) — where ground is 0; where ground is numbered 1, the floor above is קומה 2	folk
ItalyIT	PT ground is zero	piano terra / pianterreno piano terra / pianterreno	piano primo (P1) - the first level above the ground floor	traditional
JamaicaJM	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	1 (first floor) above ground	traditional
JapanJP	1 ground is one	1階 1-kai	2 (2階, ni-kai)	traditional
JordanJO	G ground is zero	طابق أرضي / Ground Floor aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الطابق الأول)	folk
KenyaKE	G ground is zero	Ground Floor	1st Floor	traditional
KuwaitKW	G ground is zero	طابق أرضي / Ground Floor aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الطابق الأول)	folk
LatviaLV	1 (pirmais stāvs) ground is one	pirmais stāvs pirmais stāvs	2. stāvs — the storey above ground is called the SECOND floor	traditional
LebanonLB	RDC ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée (RDC) / الطابق الأرضي rez-de-chaussée / aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1er étage (الطابق الأول)	folk
LithuaniaLT	1 (pirmas aukštas) ground is one	pirmas aukštas pirmas aukštas	2 aukštas (antras aukštas) — the storey above ground is called the SECOND floor	traditional
LuxembourgLU	RC (rez-de-chaussée) / 0 ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée rez-de-chaussée	1er étage — first above ground	traditional
MacauMO	G ground is zero	地下 (G; R/C, rés-do-chão, in Portuguese contexts) dei6 haa6	1 (一樓) / 1.º	traditional
Mainland ChinaCN	1 ground is one	一层 / 1楼 yī céng / yī lóu	2 (二层, èr céng)	traditional
MalaysiaMY	G ground is zero	Aras bawah (ground level); G	1 (Tingkat 1)	traditional
MaltaMT	PT (pjan terran) ground is zero	pjan terran pjan terran	l-ewwel sular — first above ground	folk
MauritiusMU	RDC ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée (RDC) / Ground Floor rez-de-chaussée	1er étage / 1st Floor	traditional
MexicoMX	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
MontenegroME	P (приземље / prizemlje) ground is zero	приземље prizemlje	први спрат (prvi sprat) — first above ground	traditional
MoroccoMA	RDC ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée (RDC) rez-de-chaussée	1er étage	traditional
NepalNP	G ground is zero	—	the level above the entrance is numbered '1'/'1st floor' (first elevation), British-influenced scheme	traditional
NetherlandsNL	BG ground is zero	begane grond begane grond	eerste verdieping / eerste etage (the first level above the ground floor)	traditional
New ZealandNZ	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	the level above the entrance (Level 1)	traditional
NicaraguaNI	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
NigeriaNG	G mixed	Ground Floor	1st Floor (some buildings label the entrance '1st Floor')	traditional
North MacedoniaMK	P (приземје) ground is zero	приземје prizemje	прв кат (prv kat) — first above ground	traditional
NorwayNO	1 ground is one	første etasje / grunnetasje forste etasje / grunnetasje	the entrance level itself; the level above is 2. etasje	traditional
OmanOM	G ground is zero	طابق أرضي / Ground Floor aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الطابق الأول)	traditional
PakistanPK	G ground is zero	منزل manzil	the level above the entrance is numbered '1'/'1st floor' (first elevation), British/Commonwealth scheme	traditional
PanamaPA	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
ParaguayPY	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
PeruPE	1 / PB mixed	primer piso (also planta baja) primer piso	colloquially 'segundo piso'	traditional
PhilippinesPH	G / 1 (interchangeable) unknown	Ground Floor / Unang palapag unang palapag = first storey	2 (mostly); some buildings (Ayala Malls, older government offices) use the European scheme	traditional
PolandPL	0 ground is zero	parter parter	1. piętro (first level above the parter)	traditional
PortugalPT	R/C ground is zero	rés-do-chão res-do-chao	primeiro andar (1º) - the first level above the ground floor	traditional
Puerto RicoPR	1 ground is one	primer piso (ground); planta baja also seen primer piso	the entrance floor itself (US convention); above it is 2	traditional
QatarQA	G ground is zero	طابق أرضي / Ground Floor aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الطابق الأول)	traditional
RomaniaRO	P (parter) ground is zero	parter parter	etajul 1 — first above ground	traditional
RwandaRW	RDC ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée (RDC) / Ground Floor rez-de-chaussée	1er étage / 1st Floor	traditional
Saudi ArabiaSA	G ground is zero	طابق أرضي / Ground Floor aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الطابق الأول / aṭ-ṭābiq al-ʾawwal)	traditional
SerbiaRS	P (приземље) ground is zero	приземље prizemlje	први спрат (prvi sprat) — first above ground	traditional
SingaporeSG	1 ground is one	1 (Level 1)	2	traditional
SlovakiaSK	P (prízemie) ground is zero	prízemie prízemie	1. poschodie — first above ground	traditional
SloveniaSI	P (pritličje) ground is zero	pritličje pritličje	1. nadstropje ('prvo nadstropje' — literally 'first above the ground storey')	traditional
South AfricaZA	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	the level above the entrance (Level 1)	traditional
South KoreaKR	1 ground is one	1층 1 cheung (il cheung)	2 (2층, i cheung)	traditional
SpainES	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	primer piso (1º) - the first level above the ground floor	traditional
Sri LankaLK	G ground is zero	—	the level above the entrance is numbered '1'/'1st floor' (first elevation), British/Commonwealth scheme	traditional
SwedenSE	0 ground is zero	bottenvåning bottenvaning	1 trappa / våning 1 (first level above ground)	traditional
SwitzerlandCH	EG ground is zero	Erdgeschoss (Parterre) / rez-de-chaussée / pianterreno Erdgeschoss (Parterre) / rez-de-chaussee / pianterreno	1. Obergeschoss / 1er étage (first level above ground)	traditional
TaiwanTW	1 ground is one	一樓 yī lóu	2 (二樓, èr lóu)	folk
ThailandTH	1 (assumed ชั้น 1; unverified) unknown	ชั้น (chan) — storey; ชั้นใต้ดิน (chan tai din) — basement; ชั้นลอย (chan loi) — mezzanine/loft chan	unknown (unverified)	traditional
Trinidad and TobagoTT	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	1 (first floor) above ground	traditional
TunisiaTN	RDC ground is zero	rez-de-chaussée (RDC) rez-de-chaussée	1er étage	traditional
TurkeyTR	Z (zemin) or 0 ground is zero	zemin kat zemin kat	1. kat — first above ground	traditional
UkraineUA	1 (перший поверх) ground is one	перший поверх pershyi poverkh	2-й поверх (druhyi poverkh) — the storey above ground is called the SECOND floor	traditional
United Arab EmiratesAE	G ground is zero	طابق أرضي / Ground Floor aṭ-ṭābiq al-arḍī	1 (الطابق الأول / aṭ-ṭābiq al-ʾawwal)	traditional
United KingdomGB	G ground is zero	ground floor ground floor	the level above the entrance (labelled 1)	folk
United StatesUS	1 ground is one	first floor first floor	the entrance level itself; the level above is the 2nd floor	documented
UruguayUY	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
VenezuelaVE	PB ground is zero	planta baja planta baja	1 (primer piso)	traditional
VietnamVN	1 (north/central: Tầng 1); Trệt / T (south) mixed	north: tầng 1; south: trệt trệt = ground; lầu = floor above ground	north: tầng 2; south: lầu 1	traditional

The numbers that go missing

28 of the rows record a number that buildings omit. A lift that runs 12, 14 is not miscounting — it is declining to name something, and which thing gets declined is local.

26 places

triskaidekaphobia · other · religious

Australia · Canada · France · Germany · Hong Kong · India · Indonesia · Ireland · Israel · Macau · Mainland China · Malaysia · New Zealand · Philippines · Singapore · Thailand · United Kingdom · United States · Vietnam · Chinese tradition · Christian / Western tradition · Friday the 13th (Western superstition) · Islamic tradition · Japanese tradition · Jewish tradition

recorded as: 13 | 13 (occasional) | 13 (rooms, streets) | 13th day / 13th floor (belief) | 13 (not skipped)

Western superstition; not a homophone in English

16 places

homophone_with_death · other · tetraphobia

Hong Kong · Indonesia · Japan · Macau · Mainland China · Malaysia · Philippines · Singapore · South Korea · Taiwan · Thailand · Vietnam · Chinese tradition · Japanese tradition

四 (sei3) is near-homophonous with 死 (sei2) 'death' in Cantonese. 14 (十四, sahp sei3) sounds like 實死 (saht sei2) 'surely die'; 24 (廿四, yih sei3) sounds like 易死 (yih sei2) 'easy to die'. Vista Paradiso and The Arch skip the entire 40s: floor 39 is directly followed by floor 50.

2 places

homophone_other

Japan · Japanese tradition

recorded as: 9 (rooms, hospitals) | 9

九 (ku) ~ 苦 (ku) 'suffering'; a homophone that works only in Japanese. Hospitals skip room numbers with 9 (e.g. 408 next to 410). Also drives avoidance of 49 (死苦 shiku 'suffer to death').

1 place

homophone_with_death

Japan

49 (shi-kyū / しきゅう) ~ 死苦 (shiku) 'suffering and death'; also 四十九 reads as shiku. Unlucky in Japan.

786

1 place

religious

Islamic tradition

recorded as: 786 (auspicious practice, not a skip)

South Asian Muslims associate 786 with the basmala (Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim) by abjad isopsephy — summing the letter-values of the phrase. 786 is written and displayed as an auspicious number (e.g. on vehicles, in Indian films, prisoner/coolie numbers) and never produces a skipped floor or room. This is the documented number-related practice in Islamic culture.

1 place

homophone_with_death

Japanese tradition

recorded as: 42, 43, 49 (rooms/race numbers)

42 sounds like 死に (shini) 'to die'; 49 sounds like shiku, which is both the Buddhist 四苦 'the four kinds of suffering' (birth, old age, disease, death — Wiktionary) and, per Tetraphobia, 'to suffer and die'. Avoided in cars and racing; 43 in maternity wards is read as 死産 (shizan) 'stillbirth' (flagged dubious by the source).