宝石

• Pinyin: bǎo shí
• Hanzi breakdown: 宝 = 宀 (roof) + 玉 (jade), meaning treasure; 石 = pictograph of a rock at a cliff face, meaning stone

Meaning

Gemstone; precious stone. A naturally occurring mineral valued for its beauty and rarity.

Refers to precious and semi-precious stones like diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and jade. Used in jewellery, geology, and everyday conversation about valuables. Common in compounds like 红宝石 (ruby), 蓝宝石 (sapphire).

Examples

1. 这枚戒指上镶着一颗蓝色的宝石。 This ring is set with a blue gemstone.
2. 她去珠宝店看了几种不同颜色的宝石。 She went to the jewellery shop to look at several different-coloured gemstones.
3. 这块宝石非常稀有，价值连城。 This gemstone is extremely rare and worth a fortune.

Usage Guide

Context: jewellery, shopping, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 红宝石和蓝宝石都是很受欢迎的宝石。(Rubies and sapphires are both very popular gemstones.)
• 这颗宝石的颜色非常漂亮。(The colour of this gemstone is very beautiful.)

Don't Say

• 把普通的石头叫'宝石' (Don't call an ordinary stone a 宝石 — the term specifically refers to precious or semi-precious minerals)

Origin & History

A compound of 宝 (treasure) and 石 (stone). Literally 'treasure stone' — a stone of precious value.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal