fang shih

noun

ˈfäŋˈshē

plural fang shih

: a priest-magician flourishing in China 249 B.C.–A.D. 220 whose office was to provide divinational and magical formulas to those seeking immortality and supernatural powers

Word History

Etymology

Chinese fang¹ shih⁴, from fang¹ prescription, formula + shih⁴ scholar, teacher

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