綠寶石 / 绿宝石
lǜbǎoshí
The English word 'emerald' is translated into Chinese as 綠寶石 / 绿宝石 (lǜbǎoshí). Wiktionary also lists 祖母綠 / 祖母绿 (zǔmǔlǜ).
Meaning: gemstone (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 綠寶石 / 绿宝石 | lǜbǎoshí | |
| 祖母綠 / 祖母绿 | zǔmǔlǜ | masculine |
In Chinese, you can refer to an emerald using several terms depending on whether you are being descriptive or using the specific gemstone name. While 綠寶石 / 绿宝石 describes a green gemstone, 祖母綠 / 祖母绿 is the term specifically used in jewelry and gemology to refer to the gemstone emerald.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 綠寶石 / 绿宝石 is composed of 綠 (green) and 寶石 (precious stone).
Which one should you use?
綠寶石 / 绿宝石 is a descriptive term meaning 'green precious stone', whereas 祖母綠 / 祖母绿 is the specific name for the gemstone 'emerald'.
How do you pronounce it?
lǜbǎoshí
Did you know?
- The term 祖母綠 is a phono-semantic match for the Arabic 'zumurrud' or Persian 'zomorrod'.
- In Chinese culture, the color 綠 (green) is associated with certain types of infidelity, which can make the phrasing of 'green' jewelry sensitive in specific contexts.
- The term 祖母綠 translates literally as 'grandmother green', but it has nothing to do with family members.
Examples in context
- 这个吊坠上的祖母绿非常漂亮。The green gemstone on this pendant is very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “emerald” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 祖母綠, CC BY-SA 4.0.
