noun HSK 2
elephant
Meaning
大象 literally means 'big elephant' and is the standard Chinese word for elephant. The character 大 (big) emphasizes the animal's massive size, while 象 alone can mean elephant but is less commonly used by itself in modern Mandarin.
Usage
This is the everyday word for elephant used in all contexts, from children's books to documentaries. Native speakers always say 大象, not just 象, when referring to the animal. It's a common example word used when teaching Chinese to children because of its concrete, easily visualizable meaning.
Examples
- 01动物园里有两头大象。.There are two elephants in the zoo.
- 02大象用鼻子喝水。.Elephants drink water with their trunks.
Characters
Measure words
- 头一头大象
- 只三只大象
Common collocations
- 大象的鼻子elephant's trunk
- 一群大象a herd of elephants
- 非洲大象African elephant
- 亚洲大象Asian elephant
Origin
The character 象 is a pictograph that originally depicted an elephant with a long trunk and large body. Adding 大 (big) reinforces the elephant's distinctive size and became the standard modern term.