superstitious act for good luck; lucky charm behavior
Refers to doing something superstitious in hopes of bringing good luck, such as wearing lucky colors or avoiding unlucky words. Often used in the phrase ゲン担ぎをする.
Before a match, I always wear the same socks as a good-luck superstition.
He is superstitious about luck, so he always eats katsudon on exam day.
Common mixed kanji-katakana spelling; ゲン is often written in katakana for emphasis.
Full kanji spelling; less common but still seen.
From 験 (げん, 'luck' or 'omen') + 担ぎ (かつぎ, 'carrying' or 'bearing'), literally 'carrying luck'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose from the idea of carrying or bearing a good omen.