象

See also: 𧰼 and 像

象 U+8C61, 象 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8C61 ← 豠 [U+8C60] CJK Unified Ideographs 豢 → [U+8C62]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order in simplified Chinese

Japanese	象
Simplified	象
Traditional	象

Alternative forms

• In traditional Chinese, Japanese kanji Korean hanja, and Vietnamese Nôm, the middle component of 象 is written 𫩏 followed by 𧰨.
• In simplified Chinese, the middle component of 象 is written 口 overlapped by a downward ㇓ slash and is one stroke less compared to the traditional form.

Han character

象 (Kangxi radical 152, 豕+5 in traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean, 豕+4 in simplified Chinese, 12 strokes in traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean, 11 strokes in simplified Chinese, cangjie input 弓日心人 (NAPO), four-corner 2723₂, composition ⿱⺈⿻口𧰨(G) or ⿳⺈𫩏𧰨(HT) or ⿸⿳⺈𫩏⿹⿱丿㇁⿱丿丿⿺乀丿(JKV))

Derived characters

• 像, 嶑, 潒, 橡, 豫, 䂊, 襐, 蟓, 鐌, 鱌(𬶲), 勨, 䴂

Additional Derived Characters

• 𫮧, 𢄵, 𢇐, 𢐣, 𢠽, 𪮱, 𤡸, 𭩈, 𭶆, 𤩪, 𮂚, 𮃯, 𧬛, 𬥌, 𫏡, 𩞧(𱄇), 𢒶
• 𨖶, 𬥆, 𩕓, 𬂏, 𦺨, 𬙧, 𫂤, 𧲜

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1195, character 21
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 36372
• Dae Jaweon: page 1658, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 3611, character 9
• Unihan data for U+8C61

Chinese

trad.		象
simp. #		象
2nd round simp.		⿱⺈𫩏

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 象
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (象) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
潒	*l'aːŋʔ, *ljaŋʔ
像	*ljaŋʔ
象	*ljaŋʔ
橡	*ljaŋʔ
蟓	*ljaŋʔ, *hljaŋs
襐	*ljaŋʔ
勨	*ljaŋʔ, *laŋʔ
鱌	*ljaŋʔ
嶑	*ljaŋʔ

Pictogram (象形) - pictographic representation of an elephant. ⺈ represents the trunk, 𫩏 represents the head, and 𧰨 represents the body.

Etymology 1

This character is used to represent two semantic fields ‘elephant; tusk’ and ‘to outline; to depict; to delineate; to represent; to resemble; to map’. Both fields are found from the earliest layers of the edited literature onwards, whereas only the first meaning is amply attested in oracle bone inscriptions.

Traditionally, the two senses are treated as related, with the sense of ‘to depict; to resemble’ considered a derivative of the sense of ‘elephant’. The derivation from the ‘elephant’ meaning to the ‘likeness’ meaning is explained in Han Feizi First attested in c. 221 BCE: “Men rarely see living elephants. As they come by the skeleton of a dead elephant, they imagine its living form according to its features. Therefore it comes to pass that whatever people use for imagining the real is called 象.”

Modern etymology studies on Old Chinese have challenged this opinion.

As for the ‘elephant; tusk’ sense, this is a widely used area word in East and Southeast Asia. Literature opinions differ on the origin and immediate relationship of this Chinese word; some (e.g. Schuessler, 2007) believe the Chinese form is a loanword from a Southern language, since it is unlikely that peoples all over Southeast Asia and the Himalayan foothills would borrow a word from Northern China to denote an indigenous animal. Others believe the direction of borrowing is reversed (i.e. Tai-Kadai borrowing from Chinese), and that Chinese 象 should be compared with Tibetan གླང (glang), གླང་ཆེན (glang chen, “elephant”) arising from a common Proto-Sino-Tibetan *glaŋ (“ox, bull; elephant”), which may ultimately have an Austroasiatic origin (Schuessler, 1994 (unpublished) apud Behr, 2004a; cf. Old Mon draṅ (draŋ), [script needed] (graŋ, “animal horn, elephant tusk”), Mon ဂြၚ် (krɛ̀aŋ, “horn, tusk”) and Kharia ɖeɽeŋ from Proto-Austroasiatic *krɨŋ (“horn”)). The second viewpoint is supported by the early attestation of this character and the archaeological findings of the historical ranges of elephants. However, Schuessler disputes that second viewpoint and links ST *glaŋ to 犅 (OC *klaːŋ, “ox, bull”).

See below for a tentative borrowing history of the various forms of this general area word.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): xiàng (xiang⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄤˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xiang⁴

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): щён (xi͡on, III)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): zoeng⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): diang⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): xiong⁵
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): siong

  (Hailu, HRS): siong^˖

  (Meixian, Guangdong): xiong⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): xion³
• Northern Min (KCR): siōng
• Eastern Min (BUC): chiông
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): cieo⁵ / ciunn⁵ / syorng⁵ / syoeng⁵
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chhiūⁿ / chhiǔⁿ / chhiōⁿ / chhiāuⁿ / siōng / sióng / siǒng / chhiāng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ciên⁶ / cion⁶ / siang⁶

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶zhian
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): sian⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: siàng
    • Wade–Giles: hsiang⁴
    • Yale: syàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shianq
    • Palladius: сян (sjan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: xiang⁴
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xiang
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕiaŋ²¹³/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: щён (xi͡on, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕiɑŋ⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: zoeng⁶
    • Yale: jeuhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzoeng⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: zêng⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sœːŋ²²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: diang⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tiaŋ³²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: xiong⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕiɔŋ¹¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: siong
    • Hakka Romanization System: xiong
    • Hagfa Pinyim: xiong⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /si̯oŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: siong^˖
    • Sinological IPA: /sioŋ³³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: xiong⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /ɕiɔŋ⁵³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: xion³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕiɒ̃⁴⁵/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: siōng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siɔŋ⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chiông
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰuɔŋ²⁴²/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cieo⁵
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: chā̤uⁿ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰieu¹¹/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ciunn⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰĩũ²¹/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: syorng⁵
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: siō̤ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬyɒŋ¹¹/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: syoeng⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬyøŋ²¹/

Note:

• cieo5/ciunn5 - vernacular;
• syorng5/syoeng5 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Lukang, Sanxia, Yilan, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu, Taichung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiūⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: tshiūnn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: chviu
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Yilan): /t͡sʰiũ³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Kinmen): /t͡sʰiũ²²/
    • IPA (Lukang): /t͡sʰiũ³¹/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Lukang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiǔⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: tshiǔnn
    • IPA (Jinjiang, Lukang): /t͡sʰiũ³³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰiũ²²/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Tainan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiōⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: tshiōnn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: chvioi
    • IPA (Tainan): /t͡sʰiɔ̃³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰiɔ̃²²/
  • (Hokkien: Penang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiāuⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: tshiāunn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: chviau
    • IPA (Penang): /t͡sʰiãu²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siōng
    • Tâi-lô: siōng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siong
    • IPA (Xiamen): /siɔŋ²²/
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /siɔŋ³³/
  • (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sióng
    • Tâi-lô: sióng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siorng
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /siɔŋ⁴¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /siɔŋ⁵³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siǒng
    • Tâi-lô: siǒng
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /siɔŋ²²/
    • IPA (Jinjiang): /siɔŋ³³/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiāng
    • Tâi-lô: tshiāng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: chiang
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰiaŋ²²/

Note:

• chhiūⁿ/chhiǔⁿ/chhiōⁿ - vernacular;
• siōng/sióng/siǒng/chhiāng - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: ciên⁶ / cion⁶ / siang⁶
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshiĕⁿ / tshiŏⁿ / siăng
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰĩẽ³⁵/, /t͡sʰĩõ³⁵/, /siaŋ³⁵/

Note:

• ciên6 - Chaozhou (“elephant”);
• cion6 - Shantou (“elephant”);
• siang6 - other senses.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zhian
    • MiniDict: zhian^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³xxian
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ʑiã²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: sian⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /si̯æn⁴⁵/
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /ɕi̯æn⁴⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: zjangX

Rime
Character	象
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	邪 (17)
Final (韻)	陽 (105)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	徐兩切
Baxter	zjangX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/zɨɐŋX/
Pan Wuyun	/ziɐŋX/
Shao Rongfen	/ziɑŋX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/zɨaŋX/
Li Rong	/ziaŋX/
Wang Li	/zĭaŋX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/zi̯aŋX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xiàng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zoeng6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*s-[d]aŋʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ljaŋʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	象
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xiàng
Middle Chinese	‹ zjangX ›
Old Chinese	/*s-[d]aŋʔ/
English	elephant
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	象
Reading #	1/1
No.	13664
Phonetic component	象
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	像
Old Chinese	/*ljaŋʔ/

Definitions

象 (1)

象 (1)

(Chinese Chess) 象 (3)

象

1. elephant (Classifier: 頭／头 m; 隻／只 m c mn)

   幼象  ―  yòu xiàng  ―  young elephant

   • 來獻其琛：元龜象齒、大賂南金。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     来献其琛：元龟象齿、大赂南金。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Lái xiàn qí chēn: yuánguī xiàngchǐ, dàlù nánjīn. [Pinyin]

     They will come presenting their precious things: the large tortoises and their elephants’ teeth, and great contributions of the southern metals.

2. ivory; tusk

   Synonym: 象牙 (xiàngyá)

   象床  ―  xiàngchuáng  ―  ivory-decorated bed

   • 玉之瑱也、象之揥也。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yù zhī tiàn yě, xiàng zhī tì yě. [Pinyin]

     There are her ear-ornaments of jade, her comb-pin of ivory.

3. (xiangqi) elephant: 🩩 (on the black side) (Classifier: 隻／只 c)

   Synonym: 相

4. (chess) bishop
5. symbol; emblem

   象徵／象征  ―  xiàngzhēng  ―  symbol

6. appearance; shape; phenomenon

   天象  ―  tiānxiàng  ―  celestial phenomenon

   現象／现象  ―  xiànxiàng  ―  phenomenon

   景象  ―  jǐngxiàng  ―  scene

7. (traditional Chinese medicine) complexion

   病象  ―  bìngxiàng  ―  disease signs and symptoms

8. image; picture; portrait

   See also: 像

9. sign; indication
10. (obsolete) law; legislation
11. (obsolete) principle
12. (obsolete) calendar
13. (literary) to imitate; to follow the example of

    象形  ―  xiàngxíng  ―  pictogram

    象聲詞／象声词  ―  xiàngshēngcí  ―  onomatopoeia

14. (literary) to trace; to outline; to depict
15. to resemble

    See also: 像

16. (historical) government official that translates southern languages
17. (～郡) (historical) Xiang, a commandery of Han China
18. a surname

Synonyms

• (elephant):

Dialectal synonyms of 大象 (“elephant”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		象
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		象
Taxonomic name		象
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	大象
	Singapore	大象
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	象
	Wanrong	象
	Xi'an	象
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	象
Lanyin Mandarin	Ürümqi	象
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	象
	Wuhan	象
	Guiyang	象
	Liuzhou	大象
Cantonese	Guangzhou	大笨象
	Hong Kong	大笨象
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	象
	Macau	大笨象
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	大笨象
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	大笨象
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	大笨象
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	大笨象
	Foshan	大笨象
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	大笨象
	Foshan (Shunde)	大笨象
	Foshan (Sanshui)	大笨象
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	大象
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	大笨象
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	大笨象
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	象
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	象
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	象
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	象
	Taishan	象, 大笨象
	Taishan (Guanghai)	大象哥, 大象
	Kaiping (Chikan)	象
	Enping (Niujiang)	象
	Heshan (Yayao)	象
	Dongguan	大笨象
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	大笨象
	Nanning	大笨象
	Wuzhou	大笨象
	Yulin	大象
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	大象
	Guiping	大笨象
	Mengshan (Xihe)	象
	Guigang (Nanjiang)	大笨象
	Beiliu (Tangliao)	象
	Baise	大笨象
	Bobai	大象
	Lingshan	象
	Pubei	象
	Qinzhou	大笨象
	Beihai	大笨象
	Ningming	大象
	Hengzhou	大象
	Hezhou (Pumen, Babu)	大象
	Mandalay (Taishan)	象
Gan	Nanchang	象
Hakka	Meixian	象
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	大笨象
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	象
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	大笨象
	Zhongshan (Wuguishan)	大笨象
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	大笨象
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	大象
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	象仔, 大象
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	象仔, 大象
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	象, 大象
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	象, 大象
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	象, 大象
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	象, 大象
	Beiliu (Tang'an)	象
	Mashan (Pianlian)	象
Jin	Taiyuan	象
Northern Min	Jian'ou	象
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	象
Southern Min	Xiamen	象
	Quanzhou	象
	Zhangzhou	象
	Zhao'an	象
	Dongshan	象
	Taipei	象
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	象
	Kaohsiung	象
	Yilan	象
	Changhua (Lukang)	象
	Taichung	象
	Taichung (Wuqi)	象
	Tainan	象
	Taitung	象
	Hsinchu	象
	Kinmen	象
	Penghu (Magong)	象
	Penang (Hokkien)	象
	Singapore (Hokkien)	象, 大象
	Manila (Hokkien)	象
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	象
	Shantou	象
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	象
	Haikou	象
Puxian Min	Putian	象
Central Min	Yong'an	象
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	大笨象, 大象
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	大象
Wu	Shanghai	象, 象鼻頭
	Shanghai (Chongming)	象
	Suzhou	象
	Danyang	象
	Hangzhou	象
Xiang	Quanzhou	大象

• (like):

edit

• 不啻 (bùchì) (literary)
• 似 (ci⁵) (Cantonese, Classical Chinese)
• 似乎 (sìhū)
• 似如 (si⁴ y²) (Xiang)
• 像 (xiàng)
• 像係 / 像系 (Hakka)
• 像是 (xiàngshì)
• 儼如 / 俨如 (yǎnrú) (literary)
• 儼然 / 俨然 (yǎnrán)
• 儼若 / 俨若 (yǎnruò) (literary)
• 勝如 / 胜如 (⁵sen-zy) (Wu)
• 好似 (hǎosì)
• 好像 (hǎoxiàng)
• 如同 (rútóng)
• 好比 (hǎobǐ)
• 宛 (Classical Chinese, or compounds only)
• 宛如 (wǎnrú) (literary)
• 宛然 (wǎnrán) (literary)
• 宛若 (wǎnruò) (literary)
• 就像 (jiùxiàng)
• 彷彿 / 仿佛 (fǎngfú)
• 忽如 (hūrú) (literary)
• 恰像 (Hokkien)
• 恍若 (huǎngruò)
• 恰親像 / 恰亲像 (Hokkien)
• 敢若 (Hokkien)
• 敢若是 (Hokkien)
• 𣍐輸 / 𫧃输 (bē-su) (Hokkien)
• 有如 (yǒurú) (formal)
• 猶似 / 犹似 (yóusì) (literary)
• 猶像 / 犹像 (yóuxiàng) (literary)
• 猶如 / 犹如 (yóurú) (formal)
• 甲像 (Hokkien)
• 甲像是 (Hokkien)
• 甲親像 / 甲亲像 (Hokkien)
• 看上去 (kàn shàngqù)
• 看似 (kànsì)
• 看來 / 看来 (kànlái)
• 看樣子 / 看样子 (kànyàngzi)
• 看起來 / 看起来 (kànqilai)
• 若 (Classical Chinese, or compounds only)
• 若像 (Hokkien)
• 若親像 / 若亲像 (Hokkien)
• 表面上 (biǎomiànshang)
• 親像 / 亲像 (Hakka, Hokkien)
• 貌似 (màosì)
• 賽可 / 赛可 (Ningbonese)
• 較像 / 较像 (Hokkien)
• 較像是 / 较像是 (Hokkien)
• 較親像 / 较亲像 (Hokkien)
• 顯得 / 显得 (xiǎnde)

Coordinate terms

• (Chinese chess pieces) 帥 / 帅 (shuài) / 將 / 将 (jiàng), 仕 (shì) / 士 (shì), 相 / 象 (xiàng), 俥 / 伡 / 車 / 车 (jū), 傌 / 㐷 / 馬 / 马 (mǎ), 炮 / 砲 / 炮, 兵 (bīng) / 卒 (zú)

Compounds

• 乾象 / 干象 (qiánxiàng)
• 亂象 / 乱象 (luànxiàng)
• 人心不足蛇吞象 (rénxīn bù zú shé tūn xiàng)
• 假象 (jiǎxiàng)
• 具象 (jùxiàng)
• 凝血現象 / 凝血现象
• 刻板印象 (kèbǎn yìnxiàng)
• 劍齒象 / 剑齿象
• 加深印象
• 包羅萬象 / 包罗万象 (bāoluó-wànxiàng)
• 卦象
• 印度象 (Yìndù xiàng)
• 印象 (yìnxiàng)
• 印象主義 / 印象主义 (yìnxiàngzhǔyì)
• 印象批評 / 印象批评
• 印象派 (yìnxiàngpài)
• 合眼摸象
• 喜劇形象 / 喜剧形象
• 四象
• 圖象 / 图象 (túxiàng)
• 大笨象
• 大象 (dàxiàng)
• 太平氣象 / 太平气象
• 天象 (tiānxiàng)
• 天象儀 / 天象仪 (tiānxiàngyí)
• 太陰之象 / 太阴之象
• 好象 (hǎoxiàng)
• 對象 / 对象 (duìxiàng)
• 屬象 / 属象
• 巴蛇吞象
• 巴蛇食象
• 幻象 (huànxiàng)
• 形象 (xíngxiàng)
• 形象化
• 形象藝術 / 形象艺术
• 得意忘象
• 徵象 / 征象 (zhēngxiàng)
• 忘象得意
• 怪象
• 想象 (xiǎngxiàng)
• 意象 (yìxiàng)
• 意象主義 / 意象主义 (yìxiàngzhǔyì)
• 意象派
• 憑虛構象 / 凭虚构象
• 成象 (chéngxiàng)
• 找對象 / 找对象
• 拔犀擢象
• 抽象 (chōuxiàng)
• 抽象主義 / 抽象主义 (chōuxiàngzhǔyì)
• 抽象名詞 / 抽象名词 (chōuxiàng míngcí)
• 抽象派
• 抽象畫 / 抽象画 (chōuxiànghuà)
• 拽象拖犀
• 摸象
• 新氣象 / 新气象
• 旱象
• 星象 (xīngxiàng)
• 景象 (jǐngxiàng)
• 曆象 / 历象
• 曆象表 / 历象表
• 森羅萬象 / 森罗万象 (sēnluó-wànxiàng)
• 椿象 (chūnxiàng)
• 正象
• 武象
• 死象 (sǐxiàng)
• 比象
• 毛細現象 / 毛细现象 (máoxì xiànxiàng)
• 毛象 (máoxiàng)
• 氣象 / 气象 (qìxiàng)
• 氣象一新 / 气象一新
• 氣象學 / 气象学 (qìxiàngxué)
• 氣象潮 / 气象潮
• 氣象萬千 / 气象万千 (qìxiàngwànqiān)
• 氣象臺 / 气象台 (qìxiàngtái)
• 氣象衛星 / 气象卫星 (qìxiàng wèixīng)
• 氣象雷達 / 气象雷达
• 法天象地
• 法象 (fǎxiàng)
• 海象 (hǎixiàng)
• 渡河香象
• 漁業氣象 / 渔业气象
• 無可比象 / 无可比象
• 燧象
• 爻象
• 猛獁象 / 猛犸象 (měngmǎxiàng)
• 玄象
• 現象 / 现象 (xiànxiàng)
• 生命徵象 / 生命征象 (shēngmìng zhēngxiàng)
• 生命跡象 / 生命迹象 (shēngmìng jìxiàng)
• 畫象 / 画象
• 畫象磚 / 画象砖
• 症象
• 病象 (bìngxiàng)
• 白象之國 / 白象之国
• 盲人摸象 (mángrénmōxiàng)
• 盲人說象 / 盲人说象 (mángrén shuō xiàng)
• 真象 (zhēnxiàng)
• 眾盲摸象 / 众盲摸象 (zhòngmángmōxiàng)
• 瞎子摸象 (xiāzimōxiàng)
• 石象 (shíxiàng)
• 社會現象 / 社会现象 (shèhuì xiànxiàng)
• 萬象 / 万象 (wànxiàng)
• 萬象包羅 / 万象包罗
• 萬象更新 / 万象更新 (wànxiànggēngxīn)
• 萬象森羅 / 万象森罗
• 競合現象 / 竞合现象
• 米象 (mǐxiàng)
• 約會對象 / 约会对象
• 綠椿象 / 绿椿象
• 緣椿象 / 缘椿象
• 緯象 / 纬象
• 縣象 / 县象
• 羅袍象簡 / 罗袍象简
• 聖嬰現象 / 圣婴现象 (shèngyīng xiànxiàng)
• 胎象
• 脈象 / 脉象 (màixiàng)
• 自然現象 / 自然现象 (zìrán xiànxiàng)
• 藏象
• 虹吸現象 / 虹吸现象
• 蛇吞象
• 血象 (xuèxiàng)
• 表象 (biǎoxiàng)
• 襆頭象簡 / 幞头象简
• 西洋象棋 (xīyáng xiàngqí)
• 觀象 / 观象 (guānxiàng)
• 觀象臺 / 观象台 (guānxiàngtái)
• 角肩椿象
• 豆象
• 象事
• 象人 (xiàngrén)
• 象傳 / 象传
• 象刑
• 象外
• 象山 (Xiàngshān)
• 象山學派 / 象山学派
• 象州 (Xiàngzhōu)
• 象州縣 / 象州县
• 象床 (xiàngchuáng)
• 象度
• 象形 (xiàngxíng)
• 象形字
• 象形文字 (xiàngxíng wénzì)
• 象徵 / 象征 (xiàngzhēng)
• 象徵主義 / 象征主义 (xiàngzhēngzhǔyì)
• 象徵性 / 象征性 (xiàngzhēngxìng)
• 象恭
• 象意
• 象戲 / 象戏
• 象拔蚌 (xiàngbábàng)
• 象揥
• 象數 / 象数
• 象服
• 象板
• 象棋 (xiàngqí)
• 象棋賽 / 象棋赛
• 象樣 / 象样
• 象櫛 / 象栉 (xiàngzhì)
• 象海豹
• 象牙 (xiàngyá)
• 象牙之塔
• 象牙塔 (xiàngyátǎ)
• 象牙婚
• 象牙寶塔 / 象牙宝塔
• 象牙木 (xiàngyámù)
• 象牙海岸 (Xiàngyá Hǎi'àn)
• 象牙貝 / 象牙贝
• 象牙質 / 象牙质 (xiàngyázhì)
• 象牙雕
• 象物
• 象瑱
• 象皮病 (xiàngpíbìng)
• 象皮紙 / 象皮纸 (xiàngpízhǐ)
• 象眼兒 / 象眼儿
• 象神 (Xiàngshén)
• 象窯 / 象窑
• 象笏
• 象管
• 象箸 (xiàngzhù)
• 象箸玉杯 (xiàngzhùyùbēi)
• 象簡 / 象简 (xiàngjiǎn)
• 象紋 / 象纹
• 象聲 / 象声
• 象聲詞 / 象声词 (xiàngshēngcí)
• 象腳鼓 / 象脚鼓
• 象舞
• 象話 / 象话
• 象賢 / 象贤
• 象車 / 象车
• 象辭 / 象辞
• 象郡
• 象闕 / 象阙
• 象限 (xiàngxiàn)
• 象限儀 / 象限仪
• 象雄 (Xiàngxióng, “Zhangzhung”)
• 象鳥 / 象鸟
• 象鼻山
• 象鼻蟲 / 象鼻虫 (xiàngbíchóng)
• 象齒焚身 / 象齿焚身
• 象龜 / 象龟
• 超以象外
• 跡象 / 迹象 (jìxiàng)
• 退化現象 / 退化现象
• 針孔現象 / 针孔现象
• 鑄鼎象物 / 铸鼎象物
• 長毛象 / 长毛象 (chángmáoxiàng)
• 險象 / 险象 (xiǎnxiàng)
• 險象環生 / 险象环生 (xiǎnxiànghuánshēng)
• 非洲象 (Fēizhōu xiàng)
• 飛象過河 / 飞象过河 (fēixiàngguòhé)
• 香象渡河
• 香象絕流 / 香象绝流
• 馴象 / 驯象
• 龍象 / 龙象

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (象):

• → Japanese: 象(ぞう) (zō); 象(しょう) (shō)
• → Korean: 상(象) (sang)
• → Vietnamese: tượng (象)

Others:

• →? Bulgar: (from 象 (OC *s-[d]aŋʔ))
  • Chuvash: сӑлан (sălan)
  • >? Proto-Slavic: *slonъ
• → Proto-Common Turkic: *yaŋan (from *žaŋga(n) < 象 (MC zjangX))
  • Old Uyghur: 𐽶𐽰𐽺𐽷𐽰 (yaŋa)
    • Western Yugur: yaŋan
• → Kalmyk: зан (zan)
• → Mongolian: заан (zaan)
• → Proto-Tai: *ɟaːŋꟲ (“elephant”)
  • Lao: ຊ້າງ (sāng)
  • Lü: ᦋᦱᧂᧉ (tsaang²)
  • Northern Thai: ᨩ᩶ᩣ᩠ᨦ (cang)
  • Saek: ซาง
  • Shan: ၸၢင်ႉ (tsâ̰ang)
  • Tai Dam: ꪋ꫁ꪱꪉ
  • Tai Nüa: ᥓᥣᥒᥳ (tsȧang)
  • Thai: ช้าง (cháang)
  • → Proto-Lolo-Burmese: *tsaŋ (“elephant”)
    • Burmese: ဆင် (hcang)
    • → Proto-Monic: *ciiŋ ("elephant")
      • Mon: စိၚ် (coiŋ)
  • → Proto-Vietic: *ʔa-ɟaːŋ (“elephant”)

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 象 – see 像 (“picture; image; photograph; figure; statue; figure; sculpture; etc.”). (This character is the former (1964–1986) first-round simplified form of 像).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Usage notes

• 象 was the official simplified form of 像 (xiàng) only until 1986.

See also

Chess pieces in Mandarin · 國際象棋棋子 / 国际象棋棋子 (guójì xiàngqí qízǐ) (layout · text)
王 (wáng), 國王 / 国王 (guówáng)	后 (hòu), 皇后 (huánghòu)	車 / 车 (jū), 城堡 (chéngbǎo)	象 (xiàng), 主教 (zhǔjiào)	馬 / 马 (mǎ), 騎士 / 骑士 (qíshì)	兵 (bīng)

References

• “象”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

Japanese

Kanji

象

(Fifth grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 𧰼)

Readings

• Go-on: ぞう (zō, Jōyō)^{←ざう (zau, historical)}
• Kan-on: しょう (shō, Jōyō)^{←しやう (syau, historical)}
• Kun: かたち (katachi, 象)、かたどる (katadoru, 象る)、のり (nori, 象)、きさ (kisa, 象)
• Nanori: かた (kata)、たか (taka)

Etymology 1

象 (zō, kisa): an Asian elephant.

Kanji in this term
象
ぞう Grade: 5
goon

/zau/ → /zɔː/ → /zoː/

From Middle Chinese 象 (zjang^X, “elephant; image, resemblance”). Compare modern Cantonese reading zoeng⁶.

The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ぞー [zóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [d͡zo̞ː]

Noun

象(ぞう) or 象(ゾウ) • (zō) ^{←ざう (zau)?} (counter 頭)

1. elephant

Derived terms

• 象亀(ぞうがめ) (zōgame)
• 象嵌(ぞうがん) (zōgan)
• 象眼(ぞうがん) (zōgan)
• 象嵌(ぞうがん) (zōgan), 象眼(ぞうがん) (zōgan): inlay
• 象牙(ぞうげ) (zōge): ivory
• アジア象(ぞう) (ajiazō): Asian elephant
• アフリカ象(ぞう) (afurikazō): African elephant
• 印象(いんぞう) (inzō)
• インド象(ぞう) (indozō): Indian elephant
• 丸耳象(マルミミゾウ) (marumimizō)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
象
しょう Grade: 5
kan'on

/sjau/ → /sjɔː/ → /ɕɔː/ → /ɕoː/

From Middle Chinese 象 (zjang^X, “elephant; image, resemblance”). Compare modern Min Nan reading siōng or Mandarin xiàng.

The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しょー [shóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ɕo̞ː]

Noun

象(しょう) • (shō) ^{←しやう (syau)?}

1. likeness, appearance

Derived terms

• 象形(しょうけい) (shōkei): hieroglyphics
• 象徴(しょうちょう) (shōchō): symbol
• 抽象(ちゅうしょう) (chūshō): abstraction

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
象
きさ Grade: 5
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese.

Kokugo Dai Jiten proposes cognacy with 橒 (kisa, “wood grain”), from the way that ivory also has a grain. Vovin (2021) instead derived 象 (kisa) from Austroasiatic by adducing attested and reconstructed Austroasiatic comparanda meaning "elephant" like Proto-Palaungic *(k)caaŋ (whence Tai Loi [script needed] (k’sang), Kem Degne Blang [script needed] (kesaŋ), Samtao [script needed] (kǝsáŋ), Danau [script needed] (kǝtsaŋ⁴)), Proto-Katuic *Ɂaciaŋ, Proto-Vietic *ʔa-ɟaːŋ, and Cuang Khmu sca:ŋ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kʲisa̠]

Noun

象(きさ) • (kisa) 

1. (obsolete) elephant
   • 938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō, volume 7, page 52:

     象 [...] 岐佐 [...] 獣名、似水牛、大耳、長鼻、眼細、牙長者也

     Elephant, [...] kisa a kind of beast, looks like water buffalo, having big ears, long nose, slender eyes and long teeth

   • 970–999, Utsubo Monogatari, page Toshikage:

     それより西を行ケば、虎狼ひと山さワぐ所有り。キサ出デてその山をこしつ。

     When he went west from there, there was a place where tigers and monkeys clamoured on a mountain. Elephants had set out and crossed that mountain

References

• Kōno, Tama (c. 970–999) Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 10: Utsubo Monogatari 1 (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 1959, →ISBN.
• Minamoto, Shitagō with Kyōto Daigaku Bungakubu Kokugogaku Kokubungaku Kenkyūshitu (931–938) Shohon Shūsei Wamyō Ruijushō: Honbunhen (in Japanese), Kyōto: Rinsen, published 1968, →ISBN.

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 象 (MC zjangX). Recorded as Middle Korean 샤ᇰ〮 (syáng) (Yale: syang) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Wikisource

象 (eumhun 코끼리 상 (kokkiri sang))

1. hanja form^? of 상 (“elephant”)
2. hanja form^? of 상 (“shape; figure; appearance”)

Compounds

• 가상(假象) (gasang)
• 구상(具象) (gusang)
• 기상(氣象) (gisang)
• 대상(對象) (daesang)
• 만상(萬象) (mansang)
• 사상(事象) (sasang)
• 상아(象牙) (sang'a)
• 상징(象徵) (sangjing)
• 상형(象形) (sanghyeong)
• 심상(心象) (simsang)
• 인상(印象) (insang)
• 추상(抽象) (chusang)
• 표상(表象) (pyosang)
• 현상(現象) (hyeonsang)
• 형상(形象) (hyeongsang)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

Vietnamese

Han character

象: Hán Nôm readings: tượng

1. (in compounds) elephant
2. a xiangqi piece which represents an elephant
3. shape; scene