Why a clock can carry an unwelcome message
The awkwardness comes from a sound-alike phrase in Mandarin. “Giving a clock” is 送钟 (sòng zhōng); “seeing someone off at the end of life,” a phrase associated with funeral rites, is 送终 (sòng zhōng). The characters differ, but the spoken phrases sound the same. So a well-meant present can seem to invoke death instead.
The meaning travels with the gift
This is a matter of wordplay and social association, not a belief that a clock causes bad luck. The concern is that the gift might sound as though the giver is wishing a grim fate on the recipient. That makes clocks especially uncomfortable as presents for older relatives, though reactions vary by person, family, and setting.
For visitors, the practical point is simple: an ordinary household object can carry a second meaning when its name echoes a phrase with strong cultural weight. If someone declines a clock or seems uneasy about receiving one, choosing another gift is usually the more considerate response. A clock may tell time; in this context, its spoken name can make it seem to say much more.
