Refers to the material from elephant tusks, used in crafts, piano keys, and traditional art. Also appears in compound terms like 象牙の塔 (ivory tower).
The trade of ivory is internationally regulated.
This personal seal is made of ivory.
This piano's keys used to be made of ivory.
The craftsman carved the ivory into a beautiful statue.
A man who tried to smuggle ivory was arrested.
牙 is the general word for a fang or tusk on any animal, while 象牙 refers specifically to the ivory material taken from an elephant's tusk.
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news term.
Composed of 象 (elephant) and 牙 (tusk, fang). The reading ぞうげ is a straightforward compound of the on'yomi readings.