碧玉
hekigyoku[he̞kʲiɡʲo̞kɯ̟]
The English phrase "jasper" can be translated into Japanese as either 碧玉 (hekigyoku) or ジャスパー.
Meaning: precious stone (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 碧玉 | hekigyoku | [he̞kʲiɡʲo̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| ジャスパー | jasupā |
The term refers to the precious stone known as jasper.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 碧玉 is composed of the kanji 碧 (blue/green) and 玉 (gem/jewel/sphere).
Which one should you use?
ジャスパー is the most common transliteration for Jasper in Japanese and is frequently used in the context of jewelry and gemstones. In contrast, 碧玉 serves as a more technical term.
How do you pronounce it?
hekigyoku
Did you know?
- While the kanji 碧 is used in 碧玉, it refers to a deep blue or green color, not the actual color of the jasper stone itself. A person might use this word to describe a jewel that is actually red or brown.
- The kanji 碧 is often used in names and literature to evoke a sense of 'clear, deep water' or 'the vastness of the ocean', rather than just a mineral color.
- Because ジャスパー is a katakana transliteration, it is treated as a foreign loanword. This makes it feel more modern and 'Western' in a jewelry shop compared to the traditional 碧玉.
Examples in context
- こんにちは、私の名前はジャスパーです。Hello, my name is Jasper.
- ジャスパーという名前の友達がいます。I have a friend named Jasper.
- ジャスパー、明日遊ぼうよ！Jasper, let's hang out tomorrow!
- この碧玉はとても美しいです。Kono hekiyoku wa totemo utsukushii desu.This jasper is very beautiful.
- 彼は碧玉の指輪をはめています。Kare wa hekiyoku no yubiwa o hamete imasu.He is wearing a jasper ring.
- 碧玉の原石を探しています。Hekiyoku no genseki o sagashite imasu.I am looking for raw jasper stones.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at jewelry in a shop.
- 結衣 Yuiこの碧玉のネックレス、素敵ですね。Kono hekiyoku no nekkuresu, suteki desu ne.This jasper necklace is lovely, isn't it?
- 大翔 Hiroto本当ですね。色も綺麗ですよ。Hontou desu ne. Iro mo kirei desu yo.It really is. The color is beautiful, too.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんも、これはどう思いますか？Hiroto-san mo, kore wa dou omoimasu ka?Hiroto, what do you think of this?
- 大翔 Hirotoとても上品なデザインだと思います。Totemo jouhin na dezain da to omoimasu.I think it is a very elegant design.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jasper” translations and entries 碧玉, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
