Because the ch'ilin was such a popular legendary creature through the ages, as soon as people saw an exotic animal somewhat resembling it--the giraffe--they promptly named it a ch'ilin and considered it a symbol of royalty and propitiousness.
麒麟既是自古普受歡迎的聖獸，後來人們見到這種來自異國，狀貌頗類的珍獸﹘﹘長頸鹿，也就逕稱「麒麟」，同時仍視之為王者之嘉瑞、吉祥的象徵。