Definitions
(noun)
elephant
(noun)
shape; form; appearance
(verb)
to imitate
Etymology
Pictograph of an elephant.
Semantic:
豕
About
The character 象 began as a pictographic representation of an elephant, with its form gradually consolidating into the standard shape used today. Originally denoting only the animal, its meaning extended to include abstract concepts such as appearance, form, and resemblance, which is reflected in its use in words like 形象 (image) and 象征 (symbol). The contemporary structure of the character, consistent in its traditional rendering, is a unitary graph that stems from this pictographic origin but no longer visually mimics the animal.
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。