象 - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Stroke order |
---|
Stroke order in simplified Chinese |
Japanese | 象 |
---|---|
Simplified | 象 |
Traditional | 象 |
- 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.
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))
- 像, 𩞧(𱄇), 𧬛, 𪮱, 𢠽, 𬂏, 𭩈, 鐌, 𤩪, 潒, 橡, 𦺨, 𥣟, 𫂤, 𢇐, 𫮧, 嶑, 襐, 𧝌, 𢄵, 勨, 𨖶, 𢐣, 𤡸, 𬥌, 蟓, 鱌(𬶲), 䴂
- 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
trad. | 象 |
---|---|
simp. # | 象 |
2nd round simp. | ⿱⺈𫩏 |
| | 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.
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 (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.
- 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 / ciuⁿ5 / syong5 / syeng5
- 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.)
- (Standard Chinese)+
- 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/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
- Gan
- (Nanchang)
* Wiktionary: xiong5
* Sinological IPA (key): /ɕiɔŋ¹¹/
- (Nanchang)
- 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: /siɔŋ⁵³/
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
- Jin
- (Taiyuan)+
* Wiktionary: xion3
* Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕiɒ̃⁴⁵/
- (Taiyuan)+
- Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
* Kienning Colloquial Romanized: siōng
* Sinological IPA (key): /siɔŋ⁵⁵/
- (Jian'ou)
- Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
* Bàng-uâ-cê: chiông
* Sinological IPA (key): /t͡sʰuɔŋ²⁴²/
- (Fuzhou)
- Puxian Min
- (Putian)
* Pouseng Ping'ing: cieo5
* Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: chā̤uⁿ
* Sinological IPA (key): /t͡sʰieu²¹/ - (Xianyou)
* Pouseng Ping'ing: ciuⁿ5
* Sinological IPA (key): /t͡sʰĩũ²¹/ - (Putian)
* Pouseng Ping'ing: syong5
* Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: siō̤ng
* Sinological IPA (key): /ɬyɒŋ²¹/ - (Xianyou)
* Pouseng Ping'ing: syeng5
* Sinological IPA (key): /ɬyøŋ²¹/
- (Putian)
Note:
cieo5/ciuⁿ5 - vernacular;
syong5/syeng5 - literary.
-
- (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/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Lukang, Sanxia, Yilan, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu, Taichung)
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/
- (Teochew)
Note:
ciên6 - Chaozhou (“elephant”);
cion6 - Shantou (“elephant”);
siang6 - other senses.
Middle Chinese: zjangX
Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*s-[d]aŋʔ/
(Zhengzhang): /*ljaŋʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) | |
---|---|
Character | 象 |
Reading # | 1/1 |
ModernBeijing(Pinyin) | xiàng |
MiddleChinese | ‹ zjangX › |
OldChinese | /*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 |
Phoneticcomponent | 象 |
Rimegroup | 陽 |
Rimesubdivision | 0 |
CorrespondingMC rime | 像 |
OldChinese | /*ljaŋʔ/ |
象 (1)
(Chinese Chess) 象 (3)
象
- 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. 11th – 7th 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.
- 來獻其琛:元龜象齒、大賂南金。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, _trad._]
- 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. 11th – 7th 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.
- 玉之瑱也、象之揥也。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and _simp._]
- (xiangqi) elephant: 🩩 (on the black side) (Classifier: 隻/只 c)
Synonym: 相 - (chess) bishop
- symbol; emblem
象徵/象征 ― xiàngzhēng ― symbol - appearance; shape; phenomenon
天象 ― tiānxiàng ― celestial phenomenon
現象/现象 ― xiànxiàng ― phenomenon
景象 ― jǐngxiàng ― scene - (traditional Chinese medicine) complexion
病象 ― bìngxiàng ― disease signs and symptoms - image; picture; portrait
See also: 像 - sign; indication
- (obsolete) law; legislation
- (obsolete) principle
- (obsolete) calendar
- (literary) to imitate; to follow the example of
象形 ― xiàngxíng ― pictogram
象聲詞/象声词 ― xiàngshēngcí ― onomatopoeia - (literary) to trace; to outline; to depict
- to resemble
See also: 像 - (historical) government official that translates southern languages
- (~郡) (historical) Xiang, a commandery of Han China
- a surname
- (elephant):
Dialectal synonyms of 大象 (“elephant”) [map]
(like):
不啻 (bùchì) (literary)
似 (ci5) (Cantonese, Classical Chinese)
似乎 (sìhū)
似如 (si4 y2) (Xiang)
像 (xiàng)
像是 (xiàngshì)
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)
忽如 (hūrú) (literary)
恍若 (huǎngruò)
敢若 (Hokkien)
敢若是 (Hokkien)
有如 (yǒurú) (formal)
甲像 (Hokkien)
甲像是 (Hokkien)
看上去 (kàn shàngqù)
看似 (kànsì)
若 (Classical Chinese, or compounds only)
若像 (Hokkien)
表面上 (biǎomiànshang)
貌似 (màosì)
(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)
人心不足蛇吞象 (rénxīn bù zú shé tūn xiàng)
假象 (jiǎxiàng)
具象 (jùxiàng)
刻板印象 (kèbǎn yìnxiàng)
印度象 (Yìndù xiàng)
印象 (yìnxiàng)
印象派 (yìnxiàngpài)
大象 (dàxiàng)
天象 (tiānxiàng)
好象 (hǎoxiàng)
幻象 (huànxiàng)
形象 (xíngxiàng)
想象 (xiǎngxiàng)
意象 (yìxiàng)
成象 (chéngxiàng)
抽象 (chōuxiàng)
星象 (xīngxiàng)
景象 (jǐngxiàng)
椿象 (chūnxiàng)
死象 (sǐxiàng)
毛象 (máoxiàng)
法象 (fǎxiàng)
海象 (hǎixiàng)
病象 (bìngxiàng)
盲人摸象 (mángrénmōxiàng)
真象 (zhēnxiàng)
瞎子摸象 (xiāzimōxiàng)
石象 (shíxiàng)
米象 (mǐxiàng)
血象 (xuèxiàng)
表象 (biǎoxiàng)
西洋象棋 (xīyáng xiàngqí)
象人 (xiàngrén)
象山 (Xiàngshān)
象州 (Xiàngzhōu)
象床 (xiàngchuáng)
象形 (xiàngxíng)
象形文字 (xiàngxíng wénzì)
象拔蚌 (xiàngbábàng)
象棋 (xiàngqí)
象牙 (xiàngyá)
象牙塔 (xiàngyátǎ)
象牙木 (xiàngyámù)
象牙海岸 (Xiàngyá Hǎi'àn)
象皮病 (xiàngpíbìng)
象神 (Xiàngshén)
象箸 (xiàngzhù)
象箸玉杯 (xiàngzhùyùbēi)
象限 (xiàngxiàn)
象雄 (Xiàngxióng, “Zhangzhung”)
非洲象 (Fēizhōu xiàng)
Others:
- → Proto-Turkic:
- → Kalmyk: зан (zan)
- → Mongolian: заан (zaan)
- → Proto-Tai: *ɟaːŋꟲ (“elephant”)
- → Proto-Vietic: *ʔa-ɟaːŋ (“elephant”)
- 象 was the official simplified form of 像 (xiàng) only until 1986.
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) |
- ^ Vovin, Alexander (2011) First and second person singular pronouns: a pillar or a pillory of the ‘Altaic’ hypothesis?[1], pages 271–272
- “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.
象
(Fifth grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 𧰼)
- 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)
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.
象(ぞう) or 象(ゾウ) • (zō) ←**ざう** (zau)? (counter 頭)
- 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)
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.
象(しょう) • (shō) ←**しやう** (syau)?
- 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
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]
-
- 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
- 938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō, volume 7, page 52:
↑ 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- 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.
From Middle Chinese 象 (MC zjangX). Recorded as Middle Korean 샤ᇰ〮 (syáng) (Yale: syang) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.
象 (eumhun 코끼리 상 (kokkiri sang))
국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典. [2]