Meaning
凤凰
fèng huáng
Phoenix
- 凤
- phoenix
- 凰
- phoenix
The Chinese phoenix: grace, virtue and rebirth.
Phoenix in Chinese
The Chinese word for phoenix is 凤凰 (fèng huáng). The Chinese phoenix: grace, virtue and rebirth. In traditional characters it is written 鳳凰.
凤凰
fèng huáng
Phoenix
What 凤凰 means.
In Chinese myth 凤 was the male bird and 凰 the female, so 凤凰 is a pair. The phoenix stands for virtue, grace and the empress, and is often shown with the dragon; unlike the Western phoenix, it is not about rising from ashes.
- 凤
- phoenix
- 凰
- phoenix
Simplified and traditional
凤凰
鳳凰
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 鳳凰 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 凤凰 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
Pick the shade of meaning.
Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.
Meaning
凤
fèng
Phoenix
- 凤
- phoenix
A single character for small designs.
About phoenix in Chinese
How do you write phoenix in Chinese?
Phoenix is 凤凰 in Chinese, pronounced fèng huáng. Phoenix 凤 means “phoenix”, 凰 means “phoenix”.
How do you pronounce 凤凰?
Say fèng (fourth tone, falling), huáng (second tone, rising). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 凤凰 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 鳳凰, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 凤凰 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
What other Chinese words mean phoenix?
凤 (fèng): Phoenix A single character for small designs.
Is 凤凰 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.