貔貅

Chinese

		(leopard)	(leopard)
trad. (貔貅)		貔	貅
simp. #(貔貅)		貔	貅

Etymology

Earliest extant attestations are in the Book of Rites and Lost Book of Zhou:

• 前有摯獸，則載貔貅。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

  ---

  前有挚兽，则载貔貅。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

  From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

  Qián yǒu zhìshòu, zé zǎi píxiū. [Pinyin]

  When there is a ferocious beast (of prey) in front, the flag with a pixiu / leopard('s skin) on it should be displayed.

• 山之深也，虎豹貔貅何為可服？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]

  ---

  山之深也，虎豹貔貅何为可服？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

  From: Lost Book of Zhou, circa 4^th – 1^st centuries BCE

  Shān zhī shēn yě, hǔbào píxiū héwéi kě fú? [Pinyin]

  The mountains being thus deep, how can tigers, leopards, and pixiu be tamed?

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): píxiū

  (Zhuyin): ㄆㄧˊ ㄒㄧㄡ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): pei⁴ jau¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: píxiū
    • Zhuyin: ㄆㄧˊ ㄒㄧㄡ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: písiou
    • Wade–Giles: pʻi²-hsiu¹
    • Yale: pí-syōu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: pyishiou
    • Palladius: писю (pisju)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰi³⁵ ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: pei⁴ jau¹
    • Yale: pèih yāu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: pei⁴ jau¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: péi⁴ yeo¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰei̯²¹ jɐu̯⁵⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: bjij xjuw

Rime
Character	貔	貅
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	並 (3)	曉 (32)
Final (韻)	脂 (15)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	III	III
Fanqie	房脂切	許尤切
Baxter	bjij	xjuw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/biɪ/	/hɨu/
Pan Wuyun	/bi/	/hiu/
Shao Rongfen	/bjɪ/	/xiəu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/bi/	/huw/
Li Rong	/bi/	/xiu/
Wang Li	/bi/	/xĭəu/
Bernard Karlgren	/bʱi/	/xi̯ə̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	pí	xiū
Expected Cantonese Reflex	pei4	jau1

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*bi  qʰu/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	貔
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	pí
Middle Chinese	‹ bjij ›
Old Chinese	/*[b]ij/
English	kind of wild cat
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	貔	貅
Reading #	1/1	1/1
No.	527	13920
Phonetic component	比	休
Rime group	脂	幽
Rime subdivision	2	1
Corresponding MC rime	𣬈	休
Old Chinese	/*bi/	/*qʰu/

Noun

貔貅

1. (Chinese mythology) pixiu, a mythical horned animal that is believed to bring luck
2. (figurative) fierce warrior

Synonyms

• 天祿／天禄 (tiānlù)

See also

• 天鹿
• 辟邪 (bìxié)

Adjective

貔貅

1. (Cantonese) naughty; mischievous

Japanese

Kanji in this term
貔	貅
ひ Hyōgai	きゅう Hyōgai
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
豼貅

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ひきゅう [hìkyúú] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [çikʲɨː]

Noun

貔(ひ)貅(きゅう) • (hikyū) ^{←ひきう (fikiu)?}

1. (Chinese mythology) pixiu, a mythical horned animal that is believed to bring luck
2. (figurative) fierce warrior

Korean

Hanja in this term
貔	貅

Noun

貔貅 • (bihyu) (hangeul 비휴)

1. hanja form^? of 비휴 (“pixiu”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
貔	貅

Noun

貔貅

1. chữ Hán form of tỳ hưu (“pixiu”).