图像 (tú xiàng) is a formal, written noun meaning 'image' or 'graphic' — referring to any visual representation captured or created digitally or physically, such as photographs, diagrams, illustrations, or digital renderings. The character 图 (tú) means 'map', 'chart', or 'picture', and carries the sense of a structured visual depiction; 像 (xiàng) means 'likeness', 'resemblance', or 'image', emphasizing visual similarity or representation. Together, they form a compound that stresses the idea of a faithful visual rendering — not just a photo, but any intentional visual abstraction or reproduction.

This term is widely used in technical, academic, and media contexts: computer science (e.g., image processing), publishing, biology (e.g., microscope images of cells), and wildlife documentation. It’s more precise and neutral than the colloquial word 照片 (zhào piàn, 'photo') and less artistic than 画 (huà, 'painting'). While it can refer to animal-related visuals — like infrared images of nocturnal animals or satellite tracking graphics — it is not limited to animals and appears across scientific, medical, and engineering domains.