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fêng huang

noun
variants: or fung-hwang \ˈfəŋˈ(h)wäŋ \

Definition of fêng huang 

1 : the bird that in Chinese myth watches with the dragon, tortoise, and kylin over the empire and appears in times of prosperity and that is often represented in art as composite in appearance sometimes as a symbol of the empress

2 : a bird with rich plumage and graceful form and movement domestic in the former imperial court of China, associated with the mythical fêng huang as an emblem of good fortune, and identified by some with the ocellated argus

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History and Etymology for fêng huang

Chinese (Pekingese) fêng4 huang2, from fêng4 male phoenix + huang2 female phoenix

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