玉
yù
Jade in Chinese is 玉 (yù). If unsure, use 玉. Wiktionary also lists 玉石 (yùshí).
Meaning: gem (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 玉 | yù |
| 玉石 | yùshí |
玉 refers to the gemstone. The character is frequently used in Chinese idioms and compound words to represent something precious or high-quality. For more specific terms, 玉器 is used to refer to jade items or artifacts, while 玉佩 refers to a jade pendant or ornament worn for decorative or ceremonial purposes. Additionally, 翡翠 is a term for jade that is also used to refer to a specific type of greenish jade.
Which one should you use?
While 玉 (yù) refers to the gemstone itself, 玉石 (yùshí) is a more general term that can refer to jade or other types of stones/minerals that look like jade.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is yù.
When do people say it?
In Chinese culture, jade is highly valued and is often seen as a symbol of virtue, purity and status.
Did you know?
- Ancient Chinese believed that jade could protect the wearer from evil and even preserve the body after death, leading to the practice of burying royalty with jade suits.
- The character 玉 is nearly identical to the character for 'king', which is 王. Only a single tiny dot separates the two, which can lead to easy mistakes in handwritten calligraphy.
- Historically, the character 玉 was a pictogram of a 'cong', a specific type of ritual jade totem used in ancient ceremonies.
Examples in context
- 我有一块漂亮的玉。I have a beautiful piece of jade.
- 让我给你看看我的玉佩。Let me show you my jade pendant.
- 这块玉很漂亮。Zhè kuài yù hěn piàoliang.This piece of jade is very beautiful.
- 他送了我一块玉。Tā sòngle wǒ yī kuài yù.He gave me a piece of jade.
- 这件玉饰很名贵。Zhè jiàn yù shì hěn míngguì.This jade ornament is very precious.
Example conversation
A woman shows her new jade bracelet to a man.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你看这块玉怎么样？Nǐ kàn zhè kuài yù zěnmeyàng?Look, what do you think of this jade?
- 志强 Zhiqiang这块玉的颜色真好。Zhè kuài yù de yánsè zhēn hǎo.The color of this jade is really good.
- 佳怡 Jiayi谢谢，我很喜欢它。Xièxiè, wǒ hěn xǐhuān tā.Thank you, I like it very much.
- 志强 Zhiqiang它很适合你。Tā hěn shìhé nǐ.It suits you very well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jade” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 玉, CC BY-SA 4.0.
