Fenghuang
/fə̂ŋ.xwǎŋ/noun
A mythical Chinese bird associated with harmony, virtue, prosperity, and imperial symbolism.
Did you know?In traditional Chinese symbolism, the fenghuang represents the union of complementary forces and was historically linked with the empress, while the dragon symbolized the emperor.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
鳳凰
“A legendary auspicious bird; the characters were associated with the paired phoenix figures.”
Han Dynasty
Chinese
鳳凰 (fènghuáng)
“A supernatural bird symbolizing virtue, peace, and an ideal cosmic order.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
鳳凰
“The established literary name of the auspicious mythic bird in classical Chinese texts.”
19th Century
English
feng-hwang
“An English transcription of the Chinese name for the legendary bird.”
Modern English
English
fenghuang
“A romanized form used for the Chinese mythological bird, often—but imperfectly—translated as “Chinese phoenix.””