景象 (jǐng xiàng) — scene; sight (to behold) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

景象 refers to a 'scene' or 'sight' one beholds, often with emotional weight (繁荣的景象, 地震后的景象). Unlike 景色, it emphasizes what is witnessed overall, not just pretty scenery.

noun

scenesight (to behold)

Examples

景象。
Chéng shì lǐ yí piàn fán róng de jǐng xiàng.
The city is a scene of prosperity.
景象。
Rì luò de jǐng xiàng měi dé ràng rén shuō bù chū huà lái.
The sunset scene is so beautiful it leaves you speechless.
景象。
Dì zhèn hòu de jǐng xiàng lìng rén xīn tòng.
The sight after the earthquake was heartbreaking.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

景jǐngscenery

象xiàngappearance

The 景 refers to scenery and the 象 to an appearance.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

日京景

Meaning part形符xíngfú

日日rìsun

Sound part声符shēngfú

京

京jīng景jǐng

Same sound today

景 has 日 (sun) with 京, which gives its sound; it originally meant sunlight.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

象 is drawn as an elephant, with a long trunk, a head, and a big body.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts

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