драгоце́нный ка́мень
dragocénnyj kámenʹmasculine
The English phrase "gem" is translated into Russian as драгоце́нный ка́мень (dragocénnyj kámenʹ). Wiktionary also lists самоцве́т (samocvét).
Meaning: precious stone (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| драгоце́нный ка́мень | dragocénnyj kámenʹ | masculine |
| самоцве́т | samocvét | masculine |
Both terms refer to a precious stone or gemstone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase драгоце́нный ка́мень is a compound phrase where драгоце́нный means "precious" and ка́мень means "stone". The single word самоцве́т is literally composed of сам (self) and цвет (color), referring to a stone's natural color.
Which one should you use?
драгоце́нный ка́мень is a more descriptive, formal way to say "precious stone", whereas самоцве́т is a more concise, single-word noun for a gemstone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural genitive form of самоцве́т is самоцве́тов.
How do you pronounce it?
dragocénnyj kámenʹ
Did you know?
- The word самоцве́т is often used in Russian folklore and fairy tales to describe magical stones that possess supernatural powers, rather than just expensive jewelry.
- The root цвет in самоцве́т is the same root used in the word for 'flower', цвето́к, because both relate to the concept of vivid color.
- In Russian culture, certain 'gems' like amber, янтарь, are considered national treasures of the Baltic region and have their own specialized vocabulary for grading quality.
Examples in context
- К нам поступила коллекция драгоценных камней.We received a collection of precious stones.
- Этот драгоце́нный ка́мень очень яркий.Etot dragotsennyy kamen' ochen' yarkiy.This precious stone is very bright.
- В короне был редкий драгоце́нный ка́мень.V korone byl redkiy dragotsennyy kamen'.There was a rare precious stone in the crown.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gem” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
