珠宝
zhū bǎo · HSK 6
pearl
💎📿 珠 zhū = pearl + 宝 bǎo = treasure — pearl-treasure combo
The first character 珠 has the jade radical 王 plus 朱 (vermillion), pointing to a red-tinted gem. 宝 means treasure or precious. Together they cover the whole category: pearls, gems, and jewels.
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.