The word 凤凰 (fènghuáng) is formed through the synthesis of two ancient, originally distinct, mythological bird deities into a single composite symbol. Historically, "凤" (fèng) represented the male principle and "凰" (huáng) the female, but over time their identities merged into one magnificent, gender-fluid or female entity known as the Chinese phoenix. This fusion reflects a classical philosophical pairing of complementary opposites (like yin-yang), creating a unified symbol of supreme harmony, virtue, and auspiciousness that is greater than the sum of its parts. The character formation itself mirrors this union, combining the avian radical (鸟/鳥) with other elements denoting symbolism and sound, to visually cement the concept of a singular, celestial bird born from cultural synthesis.