Fung

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family name of Chinese origin, borne by many people across China, Hong Kong and the wider diaspora
2. A surname common among Cantonese-speaking families, often romanized from a Chinese character meaning wind or phoenix
3. A Chinese family name carried by people of Cantonese and other southern Chinese heritage around the world

Etymology: "Fung" is an anglicized spelling of "fungus," the Latin term for mushrooms and their kin. The Latin word itself was borrowed from Greek "sphongos," which referred to the spongy growths, and the form "fungus" carries that same sense of soft, porous tissue. Because "fung" is a simplified respelling, it reflects how the Latin word was pronounced and adapted in English, dropping the final syllable of the original form.