凤尾

鳳尾

fèngwěi

noun #95,285

Meanings

1 phoenix's tail
2 the lowest member of a top group

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

画上的凤凰拖着长长的凤尾。

Huà shàng de fènghuáng tuō zhe chángcháng de fèngwěi.

The phoenix in the painting trails a long, long tail.

HSK 7-9

他宁可在小公司当鸡头，也不愿意在大公司做凤尾。

Tā nìngkě zài xiǎo gōngsī dāng jītóu, yě bú yuànyì zài dà gōngsī zuò fèngwěi.

He would rather be a big fish at a small company than a small fish at a big one.

Tips

culture

The figurative sense comes from the saying 宁做鸡头，不做凤尾, "better a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail": better to lead in a small place than trail behind in a grand one. The shape of the tail also names things: 凤尾鱼 (anchovy) and 凤尾竹 (fernleaf bamboo).

Stroke Order

凤 fèng

尾 wěi