How to Write 凰 (huáng) — Meaning “Female phoenix”

Imagine a phoenix (凰) as a royal (皇) bird perched on a table (几). The table holds the bird up, and the emperor part reminds you that it is a queen phoenix. This visual link between the parts makes the character easier to recall.

Start by writing the top radical 几 in two strokes: a left-falling stroke then a horizontal hook. Then write 皇, first the 白 part (5 strokes: left-falling, vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal, horizontal) followed by 王 (4 strokes). A common mistake is making the top 几 too large; it should be small and cover the upper part of 皇.

The most common word is 凤凰 (fèng huáng), meaning phoenix, used in mythology and as a symbol of beauty. 凤凰木 (fèng huáng mù) is a flame tree with bright red flowers, often planted for decoration. 凤凰城 (fèng huáng chéng) is the Chinese name for the city of Phoenix in the United States.

凰 is almost always used as part of 凤凰, rarely alone, and appears in names, poems, and idioms. Culturally, 凤凰 pairs the male phoenix (凤) and female phoenix (凰) to represent harmony and good fortune. The phoenix is a powerful auspicious symbol in Chinese tradition, often associated with the empress.

Common words containing 凰 include: 凤凰 (fèng huáng) — phoenix; 凤凰木 (fèng huáng mù) — flame tree; Delonix regia; 凤凰城 (fèng huáng chéng) — Phoenix (city name).