金玉 (jīn yù) — gold and jade; precious treasures; (figurative) precious; valuable (as in 金玉良言, golden advice)

Definition

Literary word for 'gold and jade' — stands metonymically for anything precious or valuable, as in 金玉良言 ('golden advice'). Almost always used in set phrases, not in everyday speech.

noun
gold and jadeprecious treasures(figurative) preciousvaluable (as in 金玉良言, golden advice)

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā de huà kě yǐ shuō shì jīn yù liáng yán, zhí dé wǒ men zǐ xì sī kǎo.
    His words can be called golden advice; they are worth our careful consideration.
  • 金玉，。
    Zhè xiē wén wù jiàn jiàn dōu shì jīn yù, jià zhí lián chéng.
    These cultural relics are all gold and jade, priceless treasures.
  • 金玉，。
    Nín lái xìn zhōng de jīn yù zhī yán, wǒ yǐ míng jì zài xīn.
    I have engraved your golden words in your letter upon my heart.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

金jīngold
玉yùjade

金 and 玉 are precious materials, denoting treasures.

Characters in this word

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

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

玉 was drawn as a ritual jade piece, or as jade pieces strung together, and was made distinct from 王 by adding a dot.

Open 玉 →

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