项链

• Pinyin: xiàng liàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 项 = 工 + 页 (work + head/page — nape of neck); 链 = 钅 + 连 (metal + connect — linked metal chain)

Meaning

Necklace; a piece of jewellery worn around the neck, typically a chain or string of beads with or without a pendant.

The standard term for all types of necklaces in Mandarin. Gold and jade necklaces carry significant cultural weight as gifts for major life events — weddings, graduations, and milestone birthdays. Maupassant's short story, translated into Chinese as 项链, is a canonical text in secondary school literature curricula across China.

Examples

1. 她在婚礼当天佩戴了一条由外婆传下来的祖母绿项链，美丽而意义深远。 On her wedding day, she wore an emerald necklace passed down from her grandmother—beautiful and deeply meaningful.
2. 莫泊桑的短篇小说项链深刻揭示了虚荣心对人生轨迹的深远影响，引人深思。 Maupassant’s short story 'The Necklace' powerfully reveals how vanity can shape a person’s life, leaving readers with much to reflect on.
3. 他精心挑选了一条镶有红宝石的纯金项链作为结婚纪念日礼物，令她喜出望外。 He carefully chose a pure gold necklace set with rubies as an anniversary gift, and she was delighted.

Usage Guide

Context: jewelry, fashion, gifting, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 她收到一条珍珠项链作为毕业礼物，爱不释手，立刻戴上展示给家人看。(She received a pearl necklace as a graduation gift and was overjoyed — she immediately put it on to show her family.)
• 珠宝店里陈列的黄金项链款式多样，价格从数百元到数万元不等，各有各的精彩。(The gold necklaces displayed in the jewellery shop come in a wide variety of styles, ranging in price from a few hundred to tens of thousands of yuan.)

Don't Say

• 戴一条项链在手腕上 — 项链 is worn around the neck; for wrist jewellery use 手链 (bracelet), and for ankle jewellery use 脚链

Origin & History

项 (nape of neck/item) + 链 (chain/link) — a chain worn at the nape of the neck

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal