The kanji 楊 primarily represents a type of tree, specifically the willow tree or poplar tree. This kanji is often associated with the characteristics of these trees, such as their slender form, graceful movement in the wind, and the delicate nature of their leaves. It can also be used in a more general sense to refer to wood or things made from wood.

・On-yomi (音読み): ヨウ (yō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): やなぎ (yanagi) - willow tree

⚫︎ 楊柳（ようりゅう） Translation: Willow tree and poplar tree; also refers to a gentle breeze or the swaying of these trees. ⚫︎ 楊家将（ようかしょう） Translation: The Yang Clan Generals (historical Chinese figures known for their military prowess). ⚫︎ 楊子（ようし） Translation: Refers to Yangzi, the name of a person or a place.

The kanji 楊 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The left side is the 木 (ki/moku), which means "tree" or "wood," and serves as the semantic component, indicating the meaning is related to trees. The right side is 昜 (yō/ei) which is the phonetic component, indicating the sound (phonetic) of the kanji. So 楊 represents a type of tree (willow or poplar) and its sound.