Ear Itching Meaning- Superstition or Omen?

Last Updated on May 31, 2021

Have your ears been itchy recently? Don’t ignore it! Like most physical symptoms, there is also meaning behind itchy ears. Most people don’t really know the meaning behind itchy ears, but that’s where I come in.

Is having an itchy ear superstition or omen?

After this, you will know!

Remember that superstition is a belief that changes an action (i.e. knocking on wood), and an omen is foreshadowing future events (i.e. lunar eclipse).

If your ears feel uncontrollably itchy and painful, you should seek medical attention. If you have excessive ear itching, this could be a sign of an infection or allergies. It is important to take care of yourself before looking for the meaning behind the itchiness. If the itchiness isn’t part of a larger problem, then you can find meaning to your heart’s content.

Origin and Meaning for Itchy Ears

Some superstitions and omens are new, but the meaning of itchy ears can be found in the Bible and Greek literature. Before we look at modern meanings for both ears, let’s take a look at the meaning of itchy ears from these two sources.

The Bible

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts.”

This verse above describes the meaning of an itchy ear in the Bible. Essentially, those with itchy ears actively seek out messages that oppose the ‘teaching of the apostles’.

For example, someone’s ears would be itchy if they seek out information about murder and how it’s not bad in the eyes of God. This example is a bit extreme, but it highlights the overall concept of itchy ears in the Bible. Your ears are itching for new information to prove your own point. This is called confirmation bias, which is being used for religious purposes.

Greek Literature

It’s a bit tricky to find the meaning of an itchy ear in a Greek context. In Greek, ‘itching ears’ contains the word ἀκοήν. I know, we both don’t know how to say this or what it means just by looking. This word is used in context with ‘inners spiritual healing’ though. The root of the word is also used in context with hearing caused by faith. The ‘hearing’ isn’t for others around you, but of your spirit.

This is a lot to unpack, so overall, the meaning seems similar to the Biblical interpretation. The itchy ear focuses on your own spiritual self, rather than external forces like omens or superstitions.

Right Ear Itching – Omens & Superstitions

Now, we can get to the meaning of your itchy ears. First, we will start with the right ear. If you’ve read articles about itching or twitching eyes, you may know that in general, the right side of the body is good luck, while the left side is bad luck. This applies to ears as well.

In case you aren’t sure why the right side is good luck, we can go over it real quick. Another word for left is ‘sinister’, which also means something harmful or evil. Because of this, the left side has become associated with bad luck. Here is a quick graph I found online to help visualize the different sides.

Based on this, we can assume that when your right ear is itchy, it is probably good luck. One common idea is that when your right ear itches, someone is talking about you in a good way. People may be talking about how great you are, or just talking casually about you in a nice way. If your right ear itches, you can rest assured knowing that there is no negative meaning!

Not every culture believes in this meaning though. In the chart above, you can see that about 20% of the time, the right side can mean back luck. A great example of this is seen in Chinese culture.

Many Chinese people believe that it is bad luck if your right ear is itchy. Someone is talking bad about you, causing the itch. Chinese beliefs can be very complex though. Surprisingly, there is meaning to an ear itch at different times of the day. For example, if your right ear is itching at 11pm, then you can expect to ‘face defeat and failure’.

Left Ear Itching – Omens & Superstitions

Like I mentioned above, the left side of your body is bad luck. This isn’t necessarily true for everything though. An old belief was that left-handed individuals were unnatural and were forced to use their right hands. In the 21^st century, we know this is not true though. If you are left handing, you don’t have to worry about possessing ‘sinister’ qualities.

Since an itchy right ear means someone is talking positive about you, then the left side is the opposite. If your left ear begins to itch, this may mean that someone is talking negatively about you and you might experience some bad luck soon.

How can you prevent this though? As with everything, you can take steps to ensure that people won’t talk ill of you. First and foremost, be a kind person! Don’t give people a single reason to talk badly about you. I know it’s impossible to be friends with everyone, but you don’t have to do that. Just be kind and try to avoid talking negatively. Try looking at your life and how you treat others around you. An itchy right ear may mean it’s time to treat others how you want to be treated.

Of course, there will always be people that talk negatively about you regardless of your actions. This is unavoidable, but you can lessen the chances by being a friendly person.

Like the right ear, the Chinese interpretation is different from the common meaning. In Chinese culture, your ear itching is associated with good luck and people talking positively about you. the meaning does change throughout the day, so be sure to check out the table below for meanings.

Omen or Superstition?

So, is the itchy ear superstition or omen? This one is a bit harder to answer because, at first glance, it seems to fit into both categories. A superstition is kind of like a belief. For example, seeing a black cat is bad luck to some people. The action of seeing one is what causes the result. Omens forecast something that will happen in the future. Remember though, it is totally possible for superstitions and omens to overlap!

An itchy ear seems to be a superstition by this logic. An itchy right ear meaning someone is talking positively about you is a belief that people have based on an action. It does not foreshadow something in the future since it is happening at that moment. This is similar to the idea that if you sneeze, someone is talking about you.

Knowing if an itchy ear is a superstition or omen may not seem important, but it is! If you ever hear someone talking about an omen, you will know exactly what they mean. Similarly, if you are learning about superstitions, you will fully know what it means. Some cultures may even interpret something as an omen, while others interpret the same situation as superstition.

Final Thoughts

Now, you should know all about the meaning behind your itchy ears. The main takeaway to know is that if either ear is itching, someone is talking about you. Your ears can basically sense when someone is talking, regardless of where they are.

Remember the Greek and biblical interpretation of your ears interesting? These meanings were a little deeper. Today, the meaning of itchy ears has become simpler. I’m interested to know where this change originated though. There are more people in modern society who don’t believe in anything spiritual, so this may be why these ear itch meanings became less popular. It is easier to believe that someone is talking about you, rather than something having to do with your spiritual self.

Take this knowledge with you and use it next time your ears are itchy. The overall meaning is quite simple, with a little variation across cultures. If you don’t follow Chinese superstitions or beliefs, then it is completely okay to not use the meaning for itchy ears. Do what feels right to you and find your own meaning! Everyone is different, so variation is totally possible.