狐

Literal animal (wild carnivore); supernatural entity, including omens of prosperity or disaster (e.g., the nine-tailed fox) and shape-shifting spirits (//hú-jing//) capable of mimicking human form; metaphorically used to denote cunning, slipperiness, or deceit.

In early texts, 狐 (fox) is distinct from 狸 (raccoon dog or civet). While the later compound //húlí// (狐狸) serves as a generic term for "fox," these should be treated as separate species when encountered individually or paired in older strata of text.

Tang-period reading: *ho.