Skip to content
Kotomora

像

statue, picture, image, figure, portrait

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゾウ

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • かた

Meaning

像 centers on a visual representation of something: a statue, picture, image, figure, or portrait that captures the likeness of a person or thing.

Most common words using 像

20 of 227
  • 画像がぞう
    N3

    image; picture; portrait

  • 映像えいぞう
    N2

    image (on a screen); picture (e.g. on a TV)

  • 想像そうぞう
    N3

    imagination; supposition; guess

  • 像ぞう
    N1

    image; figure; statue; picture; portrait

  • 解像度かいぞうど

    resolution (of a display, printer, scanner, etc.)

  • 肖像しょうぞう

    portrait; likeness; picture

  • 仏像ぶつぞう
    N1

    statue of Buddha; image of Buddha; Buddhist statue; Buddhist image

  • 現像げんぞう
    N1

    development (of film); photographic processing

  • 銅像どうぞう
    N1

    bronze statue

  • 偶像ぐうぞう
    N1

    image; idol; statue

  • 残像ざんぞう

    afterimage; after image

  • 彫像ちょうぞう

    (carved) statue; sculpture

  • 石像せきぞう

    stone statue

  • 撮像さつぞう

    taking a picture; taking an image; imaging

  • 立像りつぞう

    standing statue; standing image

  • 群像ぐんぞう

    lively group (esp. of young people); dynamic bunch

  • 実像じつぞう

    real image

  • 虚像きょぞう

    virtual image

  • 胸像きょうぞう

    bust (sculpture); half-length portrait

  • 音像おんぞう

    stereo image (audio)

Explore all words using 像 →

Study

Etymology

像 combines 亻 (person) with 象, which likely contributes both sound and the idea of shape or likeness. The character suggests a person-shaped representation, such as a statue or image.

Meaning mnemonic

A person 亻 beside an elephant 象: imagine a sculptor carving a life-sized elephant statue, capturing its image and likeness.

Reading mnemonic

For ゾウ, picture a sculptor carving a statue of an elephant (ぞう): elephant -> ゾウ, and the statue is its image.