Definitions
(noun)
elephant
(noun)
shape; form; appearance
(verb)
to imitate
Etymology
Pictograph of an elephant.
Semantic:
豕
About
The character '象' originated as a pictographic depiction of an elephant, its form gradually abstracting into the standardized shape known today. Etymologically, its core meaning of the animal expanded to encompass 'form' or 'appearance', drawing from the elephant's distinctive physicality as a metaphor for shape and structure. This semantic extension led to '象' denoting more abstract concepts like 'phenomenon' or 'symbol', and the subsequent development of the derivative character '像' specifically addressed meanings of likeness and imitation, while '象' itself remained in use for broader notions of image and representation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我看到一头大象。
大象的鼻子很长。
这是一种自然现象。
鸽子象征和平。
他维护自己的形象。
没有迹象表明他会来。
这个概念比较抽象。
这种现象象征着社会结构的转变。