auspicious sign; good omen
A formal or literary term for a sign or phenomenon believed to herald good fortune. Often used in historical, mythological, or ceremonial contexts.
The appearance of a white deer was considered an auspicious sign.
In ancient China, the phoenix was a symbol of good omen.
Standard kanji form for 'auspicious sign'.
Rarely used kanji form; 祥 is the usual character for this meaning.
From Middle Chinese 瑞祥 (d͡ziuᴴ zɨɐŋ), meaning 'auspicious omen'. The kanji 瑞 means 'felicitous' or 'auspicious', and 祥 means 'good omen' or 'happiness'.