Japanese symbol for “statue”
像
ぞう
Romaji: zou
image; figure; statue; picture
In Japanese, statue is 像, read ぞう (zou).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n, n-suf image; figure; statue; picture; portrait
- n, n-suf figure; form; shape; appearance
- n, n-suf image (physics, math)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “statue”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 彫像 | ちょうぞう chouzou | (carved) statue; sculpture |
| 偶像 | ぐうぞう guuzou | image; idol; statue |
| 一座 | いちざ ichiza | (one) statue |
| スタチュー | スタチュー sutachuu | statue |
| 寿像 | じゅぞう juzou | statue (of a living person) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 画像 | がぞう gazou | image; picture; portrait |
| 映像 | えいぞう eizou | image (on a screen); picture (e.g. on a TV) |
| 想像 | そうぞう souzou | imagination; supposition; guess |
| 仏像 | ぶつぞう butsuzou | statue of Buddha; image of Buddha; Buddhist statue |
| 銅像 | どうぞう douzou | bronze statue |
| 現像 | げんぞう genzou | development (of film); photographic processing |
See also: Chinese symbol for “statue”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.