橡

xiàng

木 + 象

Definitions

xiàng (noun) oak

xiàng (noun) rubber

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 象 represents the sound.

Semantic: 木 Phonetic: 象

About

橡 is a phono-semantic compound: the wood radical 木 on the left signifies a type of tree or wood, while the component 象 (xiàng, 'elephant') on the right supplies the sound. Originally, it referred to oak trees and the acorns they produce. Following the introduction of rubber trees to East Asia through Western contact, the character's use broadened to include rubber, and it now commonly denotes rubber, latex products, and erasers, a semantic shift from hard wood to flexible, elastic materials.

Etymology Hide

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

橡胶很有弹性。

Xiàngjiāo hěn yǒu tánxìng.

Rubber is very elastic.

橡树很高大。

Xiàngshù hěn gāodà.

The oak tree is very tall.

地上有橡子。

Dìshàng yǒu xiàngzi.

There are acorns on the ground.

橡木家具很耐用。

Xiàngmù jiājù hěn nàiyòng.

Oak wood furniture is very durable.

这个球是橡胶制成的。

Zhège qiú shì xiàngjiāo zhìchéng de.

This ball is made of rubber.

橡树林里有很多鸟。

Xiàngshùlín lǐ yǒu hěn duō niǎo.

There are many birds in the oak forest.

橡子可以用来制作饲料。

Xiàngzi kěyǐ yòng lái zhìzuò sìliào.

Acorns can be used to make feed.

橡胶工业在经济发展中扮演重要角色。

Xiàngjiāo gōngyè zài jīngjì fāzhǎn zhōng bànyǎn zhòngyào juésè.

The rubber industry plays an important role in economic development.

Related Characters

Component: 木

Component: 象

橡