Kanji 象: elephant, pattern after, imitate, image, shape, sign (of the times)
Key takeaways
Kanji 象: elephant, pattern after, imitate, image, shape, sign (of the times). Readings and core meaning.
See vocabulary and examples below.
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
Core meaning: 象
elephant, pattern after, imitate, image, shape, sign (of the times)
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
Mnemonic story
This character is a pictograph representing the entire appearance of an elephant. The top part depicts the long trunk, and the bottom part (豕) symbolizes the large body. From the 'appearance' of the elephant, the abstract meanings of 'shape' and 'symbol' were derived.
