Feng Shui
/ˌfɛŋ ˈʃuːi/noun
A Chinese system of arranging buildings, objects, and spaces to promote harmony with the flow of qi.
Did you know?The phrase “wind-water” appears in the fourth-century Chinese classic Zangshu, or Book of Burial, where it describes how landscape forces affect human fortune.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
風水
“The written compound meaning “wind-water”; the characters refer literally to moving air and flowing water.”
4th Century
Chinese
風水
“Used in the Zangshu, or Book of Burial, in discussions of landscape forces and the placement of graves.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
feng sywij
“Pronunciations corresponding to the characters 風水 in the medieval Chinese sound system.”
17th–18th Century
European Chinese
feng shui
“The expression began appearing in Western descriptions and transliterations of Chinese geomantic practices.”
19th Century
English
feng shui
“Established in English as a term for Chinese geomancy and the arrangement of spaces according to qi.”
Modern English
English
feng shui
“A widely used term for arranging environments to encourage balance, harmony, and auspicious energy.”