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钻石 (zuàn shí) — diamond

Definition

钻石 is specifically diamond (the hardest natural gem). 宝石 is the broader category 'precious stone / gem' that includes 钻石 along with rubies, sapphires, etc.

noun
diamond
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 钻石。
    Zhè kē zuàn shí fēi cháng shǎn liàng.
    This diamond is very shiny.
  • 钻石。
    zuàn shí Shì shì jiè shàng zuì yìng de tiān rán wù zhì zhī yī.
    Diamond is one of the hardest natural substances in the world.
  • 钻石。
    Tā sòng gěi tā yì kē zuàn shí zuò wéi lǐ wù.
    He gave her a diamond as a gift.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

钻zuàndiamond
石shístone

钻 points to the diamond itself, 石 to a stone; together they name the precious stone.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鑽; 钻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
贊
贊zàn鑽zuàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鑽 pairs 釒 (metal) with 贊, which gives the sound; the simplified 钻 is a later shorthand.

Open 钻 →

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

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →
Appears in
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