Chi (mythology) - Word

Word

In Modern Standard Chinese usage, chi 螭 "hornless dragon" occurs in words such as:

  • chilong 螭龍 (with "dragon") "hornless dragon"
  • chiniu 螭紐 (with "handle; knob") "carved dragon handle (esp. on cups)"
  • chiwen 螭吻 (with "mouth; lips") "a roof ornament shaped like a dragon", compare the homophonous variant 鴟吻 (with "owl; hawk")
  • chishou 螭首 or chitou 螭頭 (both with "head") "an architectural adornment; gargoyle"
  • panchiwen 蟠螭文 (with "coiled" and "pattern") "carved patterns of sinuous dragons (esp. on pillars/bronzes)"
  • chibi 螭陛 (with "palace steps") "steps of the imperial palace; the Emperor"

Note that the following discussion of the word chi 螭's written forms and etymological origins requires using some jargon linguistics and sinology.

Read more about this topic:  Chi (mythology)

Famous quotes containing the word word:

    Once a word is spoken, a team of four horse cannot retake it.
    Chinese proverb.

    A word does not frighten the man who, in acting, feels no fear.
    Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)

    The symmetrical piles of white bodies,
    the round white breast-shapes of the heaps,
    the smell of the smoke, the dogs the wires the
    rope the hunger. It had happened to others.
    There was a word for us. I was: a Jew.
    Sharon Olds (b. 1942)