宝石
bǎoshí · HSK 4
precious stone
💎 宝石 = 宝 (treasure) + 石 (stone)
宝 means treasure or precious, and 石 means stone or rock. Together 宝石 literally reads as 'treasure-stone' — a gem or precious stone. The 宝 character originally depicted jade and pottery under a roof, marking valuables.
宝 — roof 宀 + jade 玉 (simplified from 寶)
Originally written 寶, showing a roof 宀 over jade 玉, a jar 缶, and shell 貝 (money) — valuables kept safely at home. The simplified form 宝 keeps just the roof and jade, preserving the core idea of 'treasure.' It now means treasure, precious, or valuable.