金子

• Pinyin: jīn zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 金 = pictograph of gold nuggets; 子 = diminutive suffix

Meaning

Gold. The precious metal, often referring to gold in its raw or unworked form.

More colloquial than 黄金, often used in everyday speech and idiomatic expressions. Appears in proverbs like 是金子总会发光 (true gold will always shine — meaning true talent will eventually be recognized). Can refer to both physical gold and metaphorical value.

Examples

1. 是金子总会发光的，你不必太着急证明自己。 True gold will always shine — you don't need to rush to prove yourself.
2. 那个年代的人喜欢把金子藏在家里，不太信任银行。 People in that era liked to hide gold at home and didn't really trust banks.
3. 他用一生的积蓄买了些金子，觉得这是最保值的投资。 He spent his life savings buying some gold, feeling it was the best investment for preserving value.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, proverbs, investment

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 这是真金子吗？(Is this real gold?)
• 是金子总会发光。(True gold will always shine.)

Don't Say

• 在正式金融语境中用'金子'代替'黄金' (Don't use 金子 instead of 黄金 in formal financial contexts — 金子 is casual; say 黄金投资 not 金子投资)

Origin & History

Composed of 金 (gold; metal) + 子 (noun suffix). A colloquial form referring to gold.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal