翡翠 (fěi cuì) — jadeite (a precious green jade) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A precious green gemstone, the most prized variety of jade (jadeite). The everyday word for 'jade' in general is 玉, but 翡翠 specifically refers to this harder, more vividly colored stone prized in jewelry.

noun

jadeite (a precious green jade)

Measure word · 块

Examples

翡翠，。
Tā dài zhe yì zhī fěi cuì shǒu zhuó, fēi cháng piào liang.
She's wearing a jadeite bracelet, very beautiful.
翡翠，。
Zhè kuài fěi cuì diāo kè chéng de lóng, gōng yì jīng zhàn.
The dragon carved from this piece of jadeite has exquisite craftsmanship.
，翡翠。
Zài pāi mài huì shàng, yí jiàn míng dài fěi cuì bǎi jiàn pāi chū le tiān jià.
At the auction, a Ming dynasty jadeite ornament sold for a sky-high price.

Origin

Single-morpheme word

构词法gòucífǎ

联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

The characters 翡翠 together name jadeite; neither part contributes a separate meaning.

Sound-only characters

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

羽非翡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

羽羽yǔwing

Sound part声符shēngfú

非

Same sound today

翡 is built from 羽, showing a wing, with 非 added to give its sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

羽卒翠

Meaning part形符xíngfú

羽羽yǔwing

Sound part声符shēngfú

卒

卒zú翠cuì

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

It is made from 羽, a wing, and 卒, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Materials & Substances

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