How to say "statue" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 像ぞうnoun, noun (suffix)The general word for a statue or figure, such as one of a historical person standing in a park. If you simply mean a statue as a physical object, this is the word you want.
- 偶像ぐうぞうnounCovers the sense of an image or statue that is worshipped, as in a religious idol; it also means an idol in the figurative sense of someone adored. For an ordinary statue it is not the word you want.
Use 像 for a statue as a physical figure of a person or animal; use 偶像 only when the image is worshipped or idolized, since its core sense is idol.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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