Image of four-leaf clover is the first association people make when thinking about increasing luck. This type of clover brings positivity, optimism, and good fortune to those who find it.
It is associated with many legends, yet the most famous story comes from Ireland – the origin of the four-leaf plant.
What is a four-leaf clover? Why do people think four-leaf clovers are lucky?
Four-leaf clover (in English known as four-leaf clover) is a special variant of the common three-leaf clover. Additionally, this type of clover also has other variants such as five-leaf or six-leaf clovers. According to estimates, for every 10,000 three-leaf clovers, there will be one four-leaf clover that appears. Due to their rarity, they are considered a symbol of luck.
People often use images of four-leaf clovers to send wishes to family and friends. This is specifically expressed through gifts, souvenirs, profile pictures, phone wallpapers, etc. Even developers like Facebook and Apple have designed four-leaf clover icons for user convenience. Some people even tattoo them on their skin to express their personal beliefs.
Origin and meaning of the four-leaf clover
Many countries have widely recognized this type of clover as a symbol of luck. However, you may still be unclear about the origin and what the four-leaf clover means.
1/ Origin of the four-leaf clover
As a variant of the three-leaf clover, the four-leaf clover also belongs to the legume family and can thrive in many regions around the world. Currently, scientists have not determined the origin of the four-leaf clover. Nevertheless, images of four-leaf clovers are always associated with the country of Ireland. Specifically, through the story of Saint Patrick using this clover to preach everywhere. Additionally, Japan is also often remembered when talking about the four-leaf flower.
2/ What does the four-leaf clover mean?
Currently, the meaning of the four-leaf clover primarily represents luck. People use it in almost every field: spirituality, business, exams, feng shui, etc. Those who possess a lucky four-leaf clover will receive positive energy from the universe. With that belief, many people have started to cultivate and grow this type of clover in their homes. The purpose is both to decorate their homes and to wish for their families to always have good fortune and happiness.
Not stopping there, images of four-leaf clovers are also widely used in business. Common items are gifts for relatives and friends such as jewelry, paintings, souvenirs, etc. All are good wishes for luck and peace to the recipient. The meaning of the four-leaf clover varies with each leaf:
- The first leaf is faith: helping us stand firm in the face of life’s challenges.
- The second leaf is hope: as long as one can get through today, there is still hope for tomorrow’s development.
- The third leaf is love: when you have a clear goal, love will help you connect and thrive more in life.
- The fourth leaf is luck: everything is interesting due to randomness, and luck will help you enjoy that interest more clearly.
Simple ways to distinguish four-leaf clovers
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Thanks to its beautiful meaning, four-leaf clover items are currently selling like hotcakes in the market. From there, some unscrupulous traders decide to deceive consumers with other types of clovers that have a similar appearance. In fact, four-leaf clovers look quite similar to some other leaves such as Marsilea quadrifolia – land tamarind, Oxalis tetraphylla leaves,… To avoid the above issue, you can research carefully before proceeding to buy. The most distinctive feature is that the ‘real’ four-leaf clover will be smaller than the usual three-leaf clover.
How to effectively find four-leaf clovers
This type of clover can currently grow anywhere in the world. The three-leaf clover is a plant that loves shade, cool places, and can survive in high-altitude environments of 1700m above sea level.
The four-leaf clover, on the other hand, has the opposite living conditions, growing in places with high temperatures and humid air. The reason is that this environment creates genetic mutations, resulting in four-leaf clovers. Typically, they often grow in wall crevices, under tree hollows, and in places with little light.
In terms of appearance, the four-leaf clover will have four dark green heart-shaped leaves, with a vertical vein running down the middle of the leaf. You should pay close attention because this type of clover is often confused with the vegetable plant.
Simply put, you just need to go to garden shops and buy seeds to plant. You should read the instructions carefully and how to care for them to have a pot of four-leaf clover in your home soon.
Can four-leaf clovers cause poisoning when eaten?
As a legume that frequently appears in Europe and Central Asia, four-leaf clovers are edible. Four-leaf clovers can also be considered a survival food, and the flowers are the easiest to eat.
In addition, they are also used to make herbal tea due to their high vitamin content and beneficial minerals for health. However, if you want to try, be sure to read the ingredients carefully to avoid allergic reactions.
Is the three-leaf or four-leaf clover luckier?
Of course, the answer is that the four-leaf clover is luckier than the three-leaf clover. Due to its rare occurrence, the four-leaf clover is known as a symbol of luck. Moreover, the fourth leaf, which represents luck, emphasizes the above question.
Those who love four-leaf clovers are determined to collect them and turn them into an art form. A collection of over 160,000 leaves somewhat reflects their passion. The record was set on 10/05/2009, when a leaf with 56 leaves was discovered by Mr. Shigeo Obara in Japan.
Japanese four-leaf clover luck legend – A gift from God
According to legend, every child that comes into the world is given a gift from God. This includes four items: faith, hope, love, and luck. The essential condition is that the children must independently seek them in the deep forest. This process is a challenge, and the final result will be more rewarding than ever. Specifically, the gifts received are:
- When the child believes that they are not alone, that is faith
- The child believes that they must get up and keep going, must reach the destination, that is hope
- When in pain from falling, when empathizing more with all beings, the child understands love
- When seeing other children who are suffering more than themselves, the feeling received is luck.
A simple story from content to the message conveyed. From there, the legend of ‘God’s gift’ has been passed down to educate children in Japan.
Conclusion
All the information above will help you understand more about the image of the lucky four-leaf clover. Owning items like necklaces, bracelets,.. with this symbol will help you feel more at ease and comfortable. The positive energy radiated helps you and those around you become better every day.
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