Qilin: Is this a word?

Yes, qilin (Chinese) is a word but it’s not one most people use or have ever encountered. A qilin is a hoofed Chinese chimerical (fanciful mythical) creature known throughout various East Asian cultures and it is said to appear  with the arrival of a sage. Considered a good omen, it brings rui (serenity or prosperity). It varies in form, but is often depicted as a fiery deer with scales and an ox-like tail. Westerners sometimes refer to it as a “Chinese unicorn.” Often it is carved into hardwood furniture or applied as decoration to metal and ceramic objects d’art.