MYTHICAL ANIMALS  神獸

FICTION ANIMAL OR DEITY in the SHAPE of an ANIMAL.
Antonym
  • BEASTBIG WILD VERTEBRATE.
    Hypernym
    • ANIMALCREATURE ABLE to FEEL AND MOVE.
      • CREATURELIVING THING.
        • THINGCONCRETE OBJECT.
          • OBJECT[NO HYPERNYM.] WHAT one CAN NAME:refer to....
    Hyponym
    • DRAGON　MYTHICAL ANIMAL OR SNAKE which has FOUR LEGS AND RIDES ON CLOUDS.
      • MYTHICAL BIRDS　FICTION BIRD.
        • PHENIX　MYTHICAL INTENSELY BEAUTIFUL BIRD.
      Old Chinese Criteria
      1. Sìlíng 四靈 is a general term for four supernational creatures: dragon lóng 龍, tiger hǔ 虎, phoenix fènghuáng 風凰, and turtle guī 龜. The main source for names of various mythical creatures is the SHJ, with its splendid illustrations.

      2. Lóng 龍 is the most divine of all mythical animals. The dragon brings a happiness and good fortune, and an emperor is viewed as its embodiment.

      3. Jiāo 蛟 is a flood dragon, a mythical creature capable of invoking storms and floods. Also written 鮫.

      4. Shé 蛇 (snake) was worshipped in ancient times. The supernational creature of the north, xuánwǔ 玄武 is depicted as a turtle with a snake, and creators of humankind, Fúxī 伏羲 and Nǚwā 女媧 have both snake tails. The dragon was often viewed as a kind of snake.

      5. Guī 龜 (turtle) is one of the four supernatural creatures. It symbolizes a longevity and good fortune. The turtle was often used in divination and sacrifices, and its images appears as a base of the stelae.

      6. Fènghuáng 風凰 (phoenix) is one of the four supernatural creations, the most elevated of all birds. It symbolizes happiness, good omen, and peace.

      7. Qílín 麒麟 (mythical unicorn) is one of the four supernatural creations. It is a symbol of an extreme humanity of a king or emperor, as well as good fortune and a peace.

      8. Bìxié 辟邪 is a mythical animal resembling a deer with two long horns and a long tail which can expel evil influences.

      Modern Chinese Criteria
      神獸

      rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／

      • Verzeichnis und Motivindex der Han-Darstellungen ( FINSTERBUSCH 2000) p. 730

        Ch'i-lin (Fabeltier):

        F collects representations in Han reliefs.

      • Verzeichnis und Motivindex der Han-Darstellungen ( FINSTERBUSCH 2000) p. 808

        Tier mit mehreren Koepfen; Tiere, seltsame etc:

      • Verzeichnis und Motivindex der Han-Darstellungen ( FINSTERBUSCH 2000) p. 834

        Wesen, seltsame; Westen mit menschlichem Oberkoerper und Drachen- oder Schlangenleib:

      • 論衡同義詞研究 ( LUNHENG TONGYI 2004) p. 11

      • Dictionnaire culturel en langue francaise ( REY 2005) p. 3.48

        LICORNE

      • "Sachwoerterbuch zum Alten China" ( UNGER SACH) p.

        EINHORN

        FABELTIERE

      Words

      麒麟  qí lín OC: ɡɯ rin MC: gɨ lin 3 AttributionsWD

      Qílín 麒麟 (mythical unicorn) is one of the four supernatural creations. It is a symbol of an extreme humanity of a king or emperor, as well as good fortune and a peace.

        Syntactic words
      • NPunicorn; a mythological beast
      駮  bó OC: pqreewɡ MC: pɣɔk 2 AttributionsWD
        Syntactic words
      • nfabulous animal
      麟  lín OC: rin MC: lin 2 AttributionsWD

        Word relations
      • Epithet: 遊 / 游/TRAVEL Yóu 遊／游 refers specifically to travelling for pleasure.

        Syntactic words
      • na fabulous auspicious animal the catching of which was regarded as an extremely promising omen. 公羊傳·哀公十四年》："麟者，仁獸也。"
      • nadNlin-like
      魚龍  yú lóng OC: ŋɡla b-roŋ MC: ŋi̯ɤ li̯oŋ 1 AttributionWD
      • () p. 7624a

        Syntactic words
      • NPOriginally referring to a kind of fish; in Chinese mythology referring to a kind of lynx which had the ability to transform itself into a fish or dragon (HANSHU)
      • NPadN(garment) with dragon-fish (pattern)
      類  lèi MC: lwijH OC: rudsCH 1 AttributionWD
        Syntactic words
      • nweasel-like mythological animal mentioned in Shanhaijing, Liezi and ZhuangziCH
      狽  bèi OC: paads MC: pɑi 0 AttributionsWD
        Syntactic words
      • nláng bèi 狼狽 mythical animal with short front legs and long hind legs
      虎  hǔ OC: qhlaaʔ MC: huo̝ 0 AttributionsWD

      Hǔ 虎 (tiger) is an auspicious animal able to eat and expell demons.

        Syntactic words
      蛇  shé OC: ɢljal MC: ʑɣɛ 0 AttributionsWD

      Shé 蛇 (snake) was worshipped in ancient times. The supernational creature of the north, xuánwǔ 玄武 is depicted as a turtle with a snake, and creators of humankind, Fúxī 伏羲 and Nǚwā 女媧 have both　 snake tails.

        Syntactic words
      • ndragonCH
      蛟  jiāo OC: kreew MC: kɣɛu 0 AttributionsWD

      Jiāo 蛟 is a flood dragon, mythical creature capable of invoking storms and floods. Also written 鮫.

        Syntactic words
      貔  pí OC: bi MC: bi 0 AttributionsWD
        Syntactic words
      • nwild fabulous animal, panther-like or leopard-like
      鯤  kūn OC: kuun MC: kuo̝n 0 AttributionsWD

      Kūn 鯤 refers to a great mythical fish that can turn into a mythical bird péng 鵬.

        Syntactic words
      • njocular term for a large fish (the word means spawn)
      鹿  lù OC: b-rooɡ MC: luk 0 AttributionsWD

      Pronounciation of a word lù 鹿 (deer) is the same as of the word lù 祿 (a reward). The deer is thus an auspicious animal; it is also ridden by immortals.

        Syntactic words
      龍  lóng OC: b-roŋ MC: li̯oŋ 0 AttributionsWD

      Lóng 龍 (dragon) is one of the four supernational creations. It is the most divine of all mythical animals. The dragon brings a happiness and good fortune, and an emperor is viewed as its embodiment.

        Syntactic words
      龜  guī OC: kʷrɯ MC: ki 0 AttributionsWD

      Guī 龜 (turtle) is one of the four supernatural creations. It symbolizes a longevity and good fortune. The turtle was often used in divinations, sacrifices, its images appears on a cloth, and as a base of the stelae; the word itself is also used in names.

        Syntactic words
      吉光  jí guāng OC: kid kʷaaŋ MC: kit kɑŋ 0 AttributionsWD

      Jíguāng 吉光 is a mythical animal resembling a horse of Heaven.

        Syntactic words
      四靈  sì líng OC: plids reeŋ MC: si leŋ 0 AttributionsWD

      Sìlíng 四靈 is a general term for four supernational creations: dragon lóng 龍, tiger hǔ 虎, phoenix fènghuáng 風凰, and turtle guī 龜.

        Syntactic words
      • NPthe four mythical or metaphysical animals unicorn 麒麟, phoenix, turtle, dragon
      狼狽  láng bèi OC: ɡ-raaŋ paads MC: lɑŋ pɑi 0 AttributionsWD
        Syntactic words
      • NPprmythical animal with short front legs and long hind legs
      辟邪  bì xié OC: peɡ sɢlja MC: piɛk zɣɛ 0 AttributionsWD

      Bìxié 辟邪 is a mythical animal resembling a deer with two long horns and a long tail which can expell the evil influences.

        Syntactic words
      諷凰  fěng huáng OC: plums ɡʷaaŋ MC: puŋ ɦɑŋ 0 AttributionsWD

      Fènghuáng 風凰 (phoenix) is one of the four supernatural creations, the king of all birds. It symbolizes happiness, good omen, and peace.

        Syntactic words
      龍馬  lóng mǎ OC: b-roŋ mraaʔ MC: li̯oŋ mɣɛ 0 AttributionsWD

      Lóngmǎ 龍馬 is a mythical creature with a dragon head and body of a horse.

        Syntactic words

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