Chinese word

大象

Pronunciation

Pinyindà xiàng

Meaning

  • nounelephant

Example

动物园里有一头大象。dòng wù yuán lǐ yǒu yì tóu dà xiàng

There is an elephant at the zoo.

Illustration for 大象 (elephant)

More examples

为了保护大象，他们成立了一个组织。wèi le bǎo hù dà xiàng tā men chéng lì le yí gè zǔ zhī

To protect elephants, they formed an organization.

Core concept

A large land mammal that gathers food with a long, flexible trunk and often has tusks.

Common phrases

  • 保护大象bǎo hù dà xiàng

    protect elephants

  • 野生大象yě shēng dà xiàng

    wild elephants

  • 一头大象yì tóu dà xiàng

    one elephant

Similar words

象xiàng: A general term for the very large land mammal with a long trunk and often tusks.

Definition in Chinese

属于大型陆生哺乳动物，靠长而灵活的鼻取食，常有獠牙并多以群居形式生活，亦为动物园常见动物。shǔ yú dà xíng lù shēng bú rǔ dòng wù kào cháng ér líng huó de bí qǔ shí cháng yǒu liáo yá bìng duō yǐ qún jū xíng shì shēng huó yì wèi dòng wù yuán cháng jiàn dòng wù

Word origin

大 (dà, "big") + 象 (xiàng, "elephant") forms the familiar Chinese name for the elephant, while the early form of 象 was based on the animal's shape.

Usage tips

  • The noun does not change form for singular and plural, so context or a number expression shows whether the meaning is one animal or elephants as a kind.

Word lists with this word