Wiktionary

象

See also: 𧰼 and 像
象 U+8C61, 象
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8C61
← 豠
[U+8C60] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 豢 →
[U+8C62]

Translingual Edit

Stroke order
Stroke order in simplified Chinese
 
Japanese 象
Simplified 象
Traditional 象

Alternative forms Edit

Han character Edit

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(GV) or ⿳⺈𫩏𧰨(HT) or ⿸⿳⺈𫩏⿹⿱丿㇁⿱丿丿⿺乀丿(JK))

Derived characters Edit

References Edit

  • KangXi: 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 Edit

trad. 象
simp. # 象
2nd round simp. ⿱⺈𫩏
 
Wikipedia has articles on:

Glyph origin Edit

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 Edit

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 the ca. 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 (Behr, 2004). 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 Edit

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
  • Xiang
    • 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/
    Bernard
    Karlgren         		/zi̯aŋX/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex         		xiàng
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex         		zoeng6
    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 Edit

     
    象 (1)
     
    (Chinese Chess) 象 (3)

    象

    1. elephant (Classifier: 頭／头 m; 隻／只 m mn)
      幼象  ―  yòu xiàng  ―  young elephant
    2. ivory; tusk
      Synonym: 象牙 (xiàngyá)
      象床  ―  xiàngchuáng  ―  ivory-decorated bed
    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 Edit
    • (elephant):
    Dialectal synonyms of 大象 (“elephant”) [map]
    Variety Location Words
    Classical Chinese 象
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 象
    Taxonomic name 象
    Mandarin Taiwan 大象
    Luoyang 象
    Wanrong 象
    Xi'an 象
    Ürümqi 象
    Wuhan 象
    Chengdu 象
    Guiyang 象
    Liuzhou 大象
    Singapore 大象
    Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 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) 大笨象
    Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng 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) 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
    Conghua (Lütian) 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
    Min Bei Jian'ou 象
    Min Dong Fuzhou 象
    Min Nan 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
    Min Zhong Yong'an 象
    Zhongshan Min Shaxi (Longdu) 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):
    Coordinate terms Edit

    Compounds Edit

    Descendants Edit

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

    Others:

    Etymology 2 Edit

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

    Usage notes Edit

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

    See also Edit

    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 Edit

    1. ^ Vovin, Alexander (2011) First and second person singular pronouns: a pillar or a pillory of the ‘Altaic’ hypothesis?‎[1], pages 271–272

    Japanese Edit

    Kanji Edit

    象

    (grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 𧰼)

    Readings Edit

    Etymology 1 Edit

     
    Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia ja
     
    English Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia
     
    象 (zō, kisa): an Asian elephant.
    Kanji in this term
    象
    ぞう
    Grade: 5
    goon

    /zau/ → /zɔː/ → /zoː/

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

    The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

    Pronunciation Edit

    Noun Edit

    象(ぞう) • (zō) ←ざう (zau)? (counter 頭)

    1. elephant
    Derived terms Edit
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2 Edit

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

    /sjau/ → /sjɔː/ → /ɕɔː/ → /ɕoː/

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

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

    Pronunciation Edit

    Noun Edit

    象(しょう) • (shō) ←しやう (syau)?

    1. likeness, appearance
    Derived terms Edit
    Derived terms

    Etymology 3 Edit

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

    From Old Japanese. Cognate with 橒 (kisa, “wood grain”), from the way that ivory also has a grain.[3]

    Pronunciation Edit

    Noun Edit

    象(きさ) • (kisa) 

    1. (obsolete) elephant
      • 931–938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō (book 7, page 52)
        象 [...] 岐佐 [...] 獣名、似水牛、大耳、長鼻、眼細、牙長者也
        elephant, a kind of beast, looks like water buffalo, having big ears, long nose, slender eyes and long teeth
      • 970-999, Utsubo Monogatari (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。
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)

    References Edit

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
    2. ^ 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
    3. ^ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan

    Korean Edit

    Etymology Edit

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

    Hanja Edit

    Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

    Wikisource

    象 (eumhun 코끼리 상 (kokkiri sang))

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

    Compounds Edit

    Compounds

    References Edit

    • 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

    Vietnamese Edit

    Han character Edit

    象: Hán Nôm readings: tượng

    Definitions Edit

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