Chinese word

宝石

Pronunciation

Pinyinbǎo shí

Meaning

  • noungem

Example

他的戒指镶着一块宝石。tā de jiè zhǐ xiāng zhe yí kuài bǎo shí

His ring is set with a gem.

Illustration for 宝石 (gem)

More examples

她脖子上佩戴着一串宝石。tā bó zi shàng pèi dài zhe yí chuàn bǎo shí

She wears a strand of gems around her neck.

Core concept

A hard, visually striking stone whose color, clarity, or shine becomes valuable when it is cut and set in an ornament.

Common phrases

  • 镶有宝石xiāng yǒu bǎo shí

    be set with a gemstone

  • 佩戴宝石pèi dài bǎo shí

    wear a gem

  • 宝石戒指bǎo shí jiè zhǐ

    gemstone ring

Similar words

钻石zuàn shí: A very hard, clear gemstone that reflects light strongly and is often used in jewelry.
珍珠zhēn zhū: A round, shiny gemstone formed inside a mollusk and used in jewelry.
玉yù: A hard, glossy stone, usually green or white, used for ornaments and carvings.
珠宝zhū bǎo: Jewelry and decorative items made with gemstones or precious metals.

Definition in Chinese

具有装饰价值的贵重石头，常因颜色、透明度或光泽被切磨并镶嵌于首饰中。jù yǒu zhuāng shì jià zhí de guì zhòng shí tou cháng yīn yán sè tòu míng dù huò guāng zé bèi qiē mó bìng xiāng qiàn yú shǒu shì zhōng

Word origin

宝 (bǎo, "treasure") marks the stone as precious, while 石 (shí, "stone") identifies its material, making the compound easy to connect with an ornamental gem.

Usage tips

  • In jewelry shopping, 克拉 (kèlā, "carat") measures a gem's weight, while color and clarity describe other parts of its value.

Related words

  • 宝石店bǎo shí diàngem shopnoun
  • 宝石饰品bǎo shí shì pǐngemstone jewelrynoun

Word lists with this word