ideograms
Characters representing concepts
Ideograms are written symbols that represent ideas or meanings rather than sounds.
Chinese characters are ideograms—the symbol for "tree" suggests a tree directly, not the pronunciation of the word.
Contrast with alphabetic letters, which represent sounds that combine into words.
Also called ideographs.
Ancient Egyptian writing mixed ideograms with phonetic symbols.
Abstract mental construct
- symbolRepresentational mark or sign
- representationDepiction or likeness
- semioticsStudy of signs, symbols
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
signifier · abstraction · meaning · interpretation · connotation · denotation · metaphor · association
Symbolic picture-based writing
- cuneiformStylus-impressed ancient script
- kanjiChinese symbols in Japanese
- hanziChinese logographic symbols
- logogramSymbol representing entire word
pictograph · glyphs · characters · script · calligraphy · inscription · notation · oracle bones
Digital pictograph for messaging
- pictographSymbol drawn as image
- cave paintingsPrehistoric artwork on stone
- petroglyphsCarvings on natural stone
- iconsRepresentative small images
logograms · glyphs · stick figures · silhouettes · rebus · cartouche · vignettes · symbols
concept
Abstract mental construct
- symbolRepresentational mark or sign
- representationDepiction or likeness
- semioticsStudy of signs, symbols
semantics · signifier · abstraction · meaning · interpretation · connotation · denotation · metaphor · association · cognition
hieroglyphics
Symbolic picture-based writing
- cuneiformStylus-impressed ancient script
- kanjiChinese symbols in Japanese
- hanziChinese logographic symbols
logogram · pictograph · glyphs · characters · script · calligraphy · inscription · notation · oracle bones · demotic
emoji
Digital pictograph for messaging
- pictographSymbol drawn as image
- cave paintingsPrehistoric artwork on stone
- petroglyphsCarvings on natural stone
icons · logograms · glyphs · stick figures · silhouettes · rebus · cartouche · vignettes · symbols · signs
emblem
Representational sign or device
sigil · seal · logo · hallmark · brand · trademark · ensign · banner · flag · totem
- communication systemsalphabet, sign language, Braille, Morse code, hieroglyphics
- symbolssymbols, runes, symbol, asterisks, national symbol
- visual elementsdiagrams, illustrations, symbols, charts, graphs
- visual symbolspictograms, pictographs, symbols, glyphs, logograms
- written symbolsletters, alphabets, punctuation, commas, periods
- Ancient MesopotamiaBabylon, Assyria, cuneiform, Nineveh, Sumer
ideogramsphonograms
Symbols representing speech sounds
phonetic symbols · letters · alphabet · phonemes · syllabary
ideogramspictograms
Images conveying meaning
pictographs · illustrations · photographs · hieroglyphs · pictures