jade, gem, precious stone

JLPT N5 5 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character (yù) primarily refers to 'jade,' a precious stone highly valued in Chinese culture for its beauty and symbolic meanings. It often appears in contexts related to jewelry, art, and cultural symbolism.

Common Collocations

  • (yùshí): jade stone, often used to describe raw or carved jade.
  • 项链 (yù xiàngliàn): jade necklace, a common piece of jewelry.
  • (chuánjiā yù): family heirloom jade, emphasizing its value and heritage.

Cultural Significance

In Chinese tradition, is more than just a gemstone; it represents purity, nobility, and moral integrity. This cultural weight means is often used metaphorically in literature and speech to praise someone's character.

Usage Tips

is a noun and is typically used to describe physical jade objects or metaphorically to denote preciousness or virtue. It is not used as a verb or adjective by itself. Avoid confusing with other precious stones like (pearl) or (diamond), which have distinct characters and cultural connotations.

Example Sentences

This piece of jade is very precious; it is a family heirloom.

He wore a jade necklace, which looked very elegant.

Jade symbolizes purity and nobility in Chinese culture.