indicative character; logogram depicting an abstract idea
Technical term in Chinese character classification (六書). Refers to characters that represent abstract concepts through symbolic indication, such as 上 (above) and 下 (below).
See also: 六書
指事, one of the six categories of Chinese characters, is a classification for characters that represent abstract concepts.
Characters like 上 (above) and 下 (below) are classified as 指事.