foo dog

Meaning

Noun

• A stylized lion statue similar to those usually placed in male and female pairs outside imperial Chinese palaces, tombs, temples, etc.
• A Pekingese dog.

Related

Similar words

• foo lion, guardian lion, stone lion; komainu

Origin

• Possibly a Western invention, from Mandarin 福 + English dog. There is no similar word in Chinese itself that uses the word 福, but see English foo and Foo. Compare also Chinese 佛 ("Buddha"), pronounced fo or fu in some varieties.