The kanji 象 generally means "elephant." It represents the animal and, by extension, can also refer to something that resembles an elephant in some way, such as its size, appearance, or symbolic representation. It often implies something large, powerful, and memorable.

・On-yomi (音読み): ゾウ (zō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): None, as the meaning is directly represented.

⚫︎像（ぞう） Translation: Image, statue, figure, or in the case of 象, specifically an image or statue of an elephant. ⚫︎象牙（ぞうげ） Translation: Ivory (elephant's tusk). ⚫︎気象（きしょう） Translation: Weather; meteorology. Note that in this compound, the meaning extends to include "phenomenon" or "appearance," reflecting how weather *appears*.

The kanji 象 is a pictograph. It originally depicted an elephant. The character shows the general form of an elephant. The character evolved over time, but the core visual representation of an elephant has been maintained.