Taxonomy of meanings for 像:　　

  • 像 xiàng (OC: sɢlaŋʔ MC: ziɐŋ) 徐兩切 上 廣韻：【似也徐兩切十一 】
    • APPEARANCE
      • nshape, image (physical representation of something)
    • FAKE
      • vadNfake
    • PICTURE
      • nportrait, picture
    • RESEMBLE
      • vtoNSHIJI be externally similar, be similar in appearance (as a shadow to the body of which it is the shadow
    • EMULATE
      • MODEL

        Additional information about 像

        說文解字: 【像】，象也。从人、象，象亦聲。 〔小徐本無「象亦聲」三字。〕 讀若養。 〔小徐本作「讀若養字之養。」〕 【徐兩切】

          Criteria
        • RESEMBLE

          1. The general, almost copula-like word for resemblance of any kind is yóu 猶 (ant.* yì 異 "be different"), and this word can refer specifically to one item being "no better than" another.

          2. Rú 如 is often asymmetrical "be as good>match>resemble essentially>resemble in appearance only" often adds to the notion of resemblance that of equipollence. [ 不如 always: "be not as good as"]

          3. Ruò 若 typically expresses a symmetrical relation of things that are similar to each other. By analogy with rú 如 bù ruò 不若 is often "be not as good as" but sometimes also "not resemble".]

          4. Sì 似 and the later and rarer colloquial xiàng 像 are often ungrammaticalised full verbs meaning typically "to resemble in appearance only".

          5. Lèi 類 (ant. yì 異 "be different in kind") is originally and prototypically "be of the same kind or category>resemble", but comes to mean more generally "be similar".