Kanji N2

象: elephant, pattern after, imitate

象 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning elephant, pattern after, imitate, written with 12 strokes. It is read ショウ, ゾウ (on) and かたどる (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 5. You will see it in 対象 (たいしょう, target) and 印象 (いんしょう, impression).

象

Meanings

  • elephant
  • pattern after
  • imitate
  • image
  • shape
  • sign (of the times)
Strokes12
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 5
Frequency#394 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ショウ
  • ゾウ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • かたどる

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

123456789101112

Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

1234567891011120 / 12

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 12. Start at the dot.

Common words with 象

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 対象たいしょう

    target; object (of worship, study, etc.)

    JLPT N3
  • 印象いんしょう

    impression

    JLPT N3
  • 現象げんしょう

    phenomenon

    JLPT N3
  • 抽象ちゅうしょう

    abstraction

    JLPT N2
  • 象ぞう

    elephant (Elephantidae spp.)

    JLPT N3
  • 気象きしょう

    weather (conditions)

    JLPT N1
  • 象徴しょうちょう

    symbol (of something abstract); emblem

    JLPT N1
  • 気象庁きしょうちょう

    (Japanese) Meteorological Agency; JMA

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.