HSK 5 · Ideas

象征 xiàngzhēng “emblem” in Chinese

Traditional 象徵

What 象征 means

  1. emblem
  2. symbol
  3. to symbolise
  4. to signify
  5. to represent

How to say 象征

  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale象xiàng4th tone, falling
  • Pitch chart of the first tone: stays high and level, 5 to 5 on the five-level scale征zhēng1st tone, high and level

象征 in a sentence

  1. 富士山是日本的象征。

    Fùshì Shān shì Rìběn de xiàngzhēng.

    Mount Fuji is a symbol of Japan.

    Sentence #13575863 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters · translation adapted

  2. 旗帜是国家象征。

    Qízhì shì guójiā xiàngzhēng.

    A flag is a national symbol.

    Sentence #2520860 from Tatoeba

  3. 象征 can also be a verb, “to symbolise”

    文学作品中常用夜来香来象征思念与柔情。

    Wénxué zuòpǐn zhōng chángyòng yèláixiāng lái xiàngzhēng sīniàn yǔ róuqíng.

    In literature, night-blooming jasmine is often used to symbolise longing and tenderness.

    Sentence #13533995 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters · translation adapted

How 象征 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 象 (xiàng) with each of its parts in a different colour
象xiàngelephant
  • ⺈knife form of 刀 · dāo
  • 口mouth · kǒu
  • 豕pig · shǐMeaning part
The character 征 (zhēng) with each of its parts in a different colour
征zhēngjourney
  • 彳step · chìMeaning part
  • 正straight · zhēngSound part

彳 hints at the meaning (step); 正 (zhēng) hints at the sound. Compare it with zhēng.

How to write 象征

象 11 strokes · 征 8 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

象征 (xiàngzhēng) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 象征 (xiàngzhēng). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 象征

Words with 象

印象yìnxiàng · impression对象duìxiàng · target象棋xiàngqí · Chinese chess想象xiǎngxiàng · to imagine抽象chōuxiàng · abstract大象dàxiàng · elephant现象xiànxiàng · phenomenon形象xíngxiàng · image气象qìxiàng · meteorology迹象jìxiàng · sign

Words with 征

征求zhēngqiú · to solicit特征tèzhēng · characteristic征服zhēngfú · to conquer征收zhēngshōu · to levy

More words: Ideas & Concepts

特色tèsè · distinctive feature特征tèzhēng · characteristic细节xìjié · details现象xiànxiàng · phenomenon效率xiàolǜ · efficiency行为xíngwéi · action形式xíngshì · form形势xíngshì · circumstances

FAQs

象征 (xiàngzhēng) means “emblem” or “symbol”. It is an HSK 5 word.
Say it xiàngzhēng: xiàng with a 4th tone, then zhēng with a 1st tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 象征 is written 象徵. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type xiangzheng with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 象征 from the suggestions. Typing xiangzheng into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
象征 is an HSK 5 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.