The character 象 — “elephant”: how to write it and what it means
elephant; image, appearance
The Chinese character 象 is read xiàng and means “elephant; image, appearance”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 象
象 has 11 strokes. At each step the new stroke is highlighted — write them in the same order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical, a frame before what is inside it, and the bottom stroke of the frame last.
To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for 象, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 象 is made of
A drawing of an elephant. It hints at the sound of 像 xiàng.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 象
- 印象impressionHSK 4
- 对象object; partner (in life)HSK 5
- 大象elephantHSK 5
- 现象phenomenonHSK 5
- 形象image; vividHSK 5
- 象征symbol; symbolizeHSK 5
- 想象imagineHSK 5
- 抽象abstractHSK 6
- 象棋Chinese chessHSK 6
- 景象scene, sight (situation)HSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 象?
象 has 11 strokes. They follow the usual rules: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside. The order of each stroke is shown on this page.
What does 象 mean?
象 means “elephant; image, appearance”. It appears in 印象 (“impression”), 对象 (“object”), 大象 (“elephant”), 现象 (“phenomenon”).
How do you pronounce 象?
象 is read xiàng. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 象 have?
11 strokes.
More characters on the page “Chinese characters with meanings” and in the list of HSK characters by level; whole words are in the dictionary.
Write 象 yourself
In the lessons you write characters stroke by stroke with a finger or a mouse, and the course checks the order. You can start for free, no sign-up needed.
Start for free