Cultural Symbols

noun a rigid bracelet or anklet, especially one with a hinge

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• She wore an elegant gold bangle on her wrist to the formal event.
• She stacked multiple colorful bangles on her arm for a fun and casual look.
• I love your blingy bangle, where did you get it?
• The bangle of memories from her past always seemed to weigh heavy on her heart.

noun a symbolic representation or distinctive badge

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• The national emblem of the country is proudly displayed on official documents.
• The company emblem on their uniforms makes them easy to spot in a crowd.
• That emblem on his jacket is so cool, where did you get it?
• The dove is often seen as an emblem of peace and harmony.

noun a collection of visual images or symbols

• The study of iconography in religious art reveals deeper meanings and symbolism.
• She was fascinated by the iconography in the ancient manuscripts.
• That artist really knows how to play with iconography to make a statement.
• The iconography of her style is instantly recognizable in the fashion world.

noun a written character symbolizing the idea of a thing without indicating the sounds used to say it

• The ancient language used ideograms to represent words or ideas.
• I find it fascinating how ideograms can convey meaning without using letters.
• Some people think ideograms are like emojis but with deeper meanings.
• The artist used ideograms in his painting to symbolize different emotions.

noun a candelabrum used in Jewish worship, especially during Hanukkah, consisting of eight branches for candles and an additional branch for the shamash (servant) candle

• The menorah is a traditional Jewish candelabrum with nine branches.
• We lit the menorah during Hanukkah to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
• Let's gather around the menorah and sing some Hanukkah songs!
• The menorah symbolizes hope and perseverance in the face of adversity.

noun a piece of jewelry that is worn around the neck, typically consisting of a chain or string of precious metal, beads, gems, or other decorative pendants

• She wore a stunning diamond necklace to the gala.
• She was showing off her new necklace to everyone at the party.
• That necklace is so bling-bling, where did you get it?
• Her words were like a beautiful necklace, carefully crafted and full of meaning.

noun a tiered tower with multiple eaves, built in traditions originating as stupa in historic South Asia and further developed in East Asia

• The pagoda is a traditional tower-like structure found in many Asian countries.
• Let's visit the pagoda in the park, it's so beautiful!
• That pagoda is lit, we should take some cool pics there.
• Her mind was like a pagoda, full of ancient wisdom and knowledge.

noun a Native American baby carrier traditionally made of a blanket or animal hide

• The Native American mother carried her baby in a papoose as they traveled.
• I saw a cute baby peeking out of a papoose at the farmer's market.
• Check out that cool papoose that dad is using to carry his baby around.
• The artist wrapped her creativity in a papoose, protecting it until it was ready to be revealed to the world.

noun a long bench with a back, placed in rows in the main part of some churches to seat the congregation

• The congregation sat quietly in the pew during the church service.
• I saved you a spot in the pew for Sunday's service.
• Let's snag a pew in the back for the concert.
• She felt like she was on a pew of judgment as all eyes turned towards her.

noun the well-being or welfare of a person or group

• For the sake of clarity, let me explain the process one more time.
• I'm not going to that party for your sake, not mine.
• I can't believe you're skipping class for his sake.
• Sometimes we have to let go of things for the sake of our own happiness.

noun a ram's horn used as a musical instrument in Jewish religious ceremonies

• The shofar is a traditional Jewish musical instrument typically made from a ram's horn.
• I heard the sound of the shofar during the Rosh Hashanah service.
• Let's blow the shofar to celebrate the occasion!
• The shofar symbolizes a call to repentance and renewal in Jewish tradition.

noun a stringed musical instrument of India, typically plucked, with a long neck and a rounded body

• The sitar is a traditional Indian musical instrument with a long neck and a gourd-shaped body.
• My friend is learning how to play the sitar and it sounds really cool!
• I love jamming out on the sitar with my band, it's so chill.
• The sitar's melodic tones resonate through the room, creating a sense of peace and tranquility.

noun the symbolic meaning or representation of something

• The use of color in the painting carries deep symbolism, representing different emotions and themes.
• I love how the artist used symbolism in this piece to convey a hidden message.
• The graffiti on the wall may seem random, but it's actually full of symbolism.
• The broken clock in the movie is a symbolism of the protagonist's life falling apart.

noun a form of body modification where a design is made by inserting ink, dyes, or pigments into the skin

verb to mark the skin with a design using ink, dyes, or pigments

• She decided to get a tattoo of her favorite quote on her wrist.
• I'm thinking of getting a tattoo of my dog's face on my arm.
• I got a sick tattoo of a dragon on my back yesterday.
• The memory of her words was like a tattoo on his heart, forever etched in his mind.

noun a flag consisting of the combined crosses of the patron saints of England, Scotland, and Ireland, used as the national flag of the United Kingdom

• The Union Jack is the national flag of the United Kingdom.
• I love how the Union Jack looks on clothing and accessories.
• Check out that cool Union Jack guitar strap!
• The Union Jack waved proudly in the wind as a symbol of unity and strength.

noun a skullcap worn by Jewish men as a sign of reverence and piety

• The rabbi wore a black kippah during the ceremony.
• I always wear my kippah when I go to synagogue.
• Hey, don't forget your kippah if we're going to the temple later.
• The kippah symbolizes humility and respect in Jewish tradition.

noun a traditional sweet dish in Bangladesh and India made with milk, rice, sugar, and other ingredients

• During the festival, the guests were served a delicious payesh made with rice and milk.
• I can't wait to dig into that bowl of payesh at the party tonight.
• Let's sneak into the kitchen and grab some of that yummy payesh before anyone else sees.
• Her kindness towards others was like a sweet bowl of payesh, comforting and satisfying.

noun a type of high-performance car with a large and powerful engine, typically American-made from the 1960s to the 1970s

• The muscle car was designed with a powerful engine and sleek body for high performance.
• I love cruising around town in my muscle car, it really turns heads.
• Check out that sweet muscle car, it's totally badass.
• His determination was like a muscle car, driving him towards his goals with unstoppable force.

noun a type of silk and cotton fabric made in Ghana, typically woven in bright colors and intricate patterns

• The traditional kente cloth is a symbol of Ghanaian culture and craftsmanship.
• I love wearing kente cloth during special occasions to show off my heritage.
• Check out this dope kente cloth I found at the market!
• Her words were woven together like a beautiful kente cloth, creating a tapestry of storytelling.

noun a proper noun referring to a person's name

• Shayla is a highly skilled professional in her field.
• I'm meeting up with Shayla later for coffee.
• Shayla is so chill, she's always down for anything.
• Shayla's creativity knows no bounds, she's like a wizard with design.

noun Checkpoint Charlie

• Checkpoint Charlie was a famous border crossing point in Berlin during the Cold War.
• Let's go check out Checkpoint Charlie while we're in Berlin.
• Checkpoint Charlie was where all the action went down back in the day.
• Crossing Checkpoint Charlie symbolized the divide between East and West during the Cold War.

noun a doll that contains smaller dolls inside of it, each fitting inside the next larger one

• The nesting doll is a traditional Russian toy consisting of a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside another.
• I bought a cute nesting doll set as a souvenir from my trip to Russia.
• Check out this cool nesting doll my grandma gave me, it's so unique!
• The concept of identity can be compared to a nesting doll, with each layer representing a different aspect of a person's self.

noun traditional Russian winter footwear made of felt

• Valenki are traditional Russian felt boots that are worn during the winter months.
• I love wearing my valenki when it's cold outside.
• Check out my new valenki - they're so warm and cozy!
• His valenki were like a shield against the cold winter weather.

noun a special Jewish bread, typically braided and eaten on ceremonial occasions such as the Sabbath and holidays

• The challah bread is a traditional Jewish bread typically braided and eaten on Shabbat and holidays.
• I love picking up a fresh loaf of challah from the bakery for Sunday brunch.
• Let's grab some challah and have a picnic in the park.
• The challah represents unity and togetherness in Jewish culture.

noun a type of pear native to East Asia

• The nashi pear is a popular fruit in Japan.
• I bought some nashi pears at the grocery store.
• Let's grab some nashi pears for a snack.
• The nashi pear symbolizes good luck and prosperity in Japanese culture.

noun a traditional Assamese towel or scarf, often with red and white designs

adjective describing the origin or style of the towel or scarf

• The bride wore a beautiful gamosa during the traditional Assamese wedding ceremony.
• I always carry a gamosa with me when I visit my hometown.
• That gamosa is so cool, where did you get it?
• The gamosa symbolizes the rich cultural heritage of Assam.

noun A Russian nesting doll, typically made of wood, that separates at the middle to reveal a smaller doll inside, which in turn contains an even smaller doll, and so on.

• The Matryoshka dolls are a traditional Russian nesting doll set.
• I bought a Matryoshka doll souvenir from my trip to Russia.
• Check out these cool Matryoshka dolls I found at the flea market!
• Her personality is like a Matryoshka doll, with many layers to uncover.

noun a manual computing device with beads or disks that can be moved up and down on rods or in grooves

• The teacher demonstrated how to use the abacus to perform complex calculations.
• I found an old abacus in my grandparents' attic and decided to try using it.
• I'm so bad at math, I might as well be using an abacus!
• She used the abacus of her mind to carefully weigh her options before making a decision.