fung shui

English

Alternative forms

• fungshui

Etymology

From Cantonese 風水／风水 (fung¹ seoi²). Doublet of feng shui.

Pronunciation

• (Hong Kong) IPA^(key): /fʊŋ sɵy̯/, [fʊŋ˥˥ sɵy̯˥˥]
• (anglicized, approximating Cantonese) IPA^(key): /fʊŋ sə.i/
• (other anglicizations) IPA^(key): /-ˈsui/, /-ˈʃu.i/

Noun

fung shui (uncountable)

1. (Hong Kong) Synonym of feng shui: the Cantonese-derived name.
   • 1986 December 16, Simon Winchester, “A Funeral in Hong Kong”, in The Washington Post‎^[1], →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 5 August 2023‎^[2]:

     Hong Kong has reason enough to feel glum these days, and not only because 6 million subjects have suddenly lost their British governor. For one thing, the superstitious, and those who follow the Chinese geomancy know as fung shui, are making much of the circumstances of Sir Edward's passing.
     He was the first governor ever to die in office. He died up in Peking, which many still think of as the enemy capital. He died while he was on Hong Kong business -- indeed, it looks as though he died from the very rigors of that business. And he died on the unpropitious fourth of the month -- the Cantonese sound for the number four being homophonic with the Cantonese word for death. Very bad fung shui, the magic men say, with consequent ill luck to come.

   • 1990 March 22, Barbara Basler, “Hong Kong Journal; Is the Skyscraper Looking Daggers at Neighbors?”, in The New York Times‎^[3], →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2015-05-25, Section A, page 4‎^[4]:

     Hong Kong Chinese are serious about fung shui, the ancient art of arranging buildings and other objects so they are in harmony with nature and bring good luck. Many fung shui experts say the sharp angles of the tower are like dangerous daggers pointed at businesses and homes in the area. Small mirrors have been placed in the windows of surrounding buildings to deflect the evil that is supposed to emanate from the bank.