宝 (bǎo) - treasure, precious, valuable & a term of endearment

宝Tone 3

bǎo ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 宀

傲不

宝 · bǎo

treasure, precious, valuable;

a term of endearment

treasure, precious, valuablea term of endearment

Usage highlights

treasurebabynational treasuretreasure chesttreasure huntpriceless treasure

Synonyms

  • 珍— precious, rare
  • 贵— valuable, expensive
  • 宝— treasure

Antonyms

  • 贱— cheap, worthless
  • 废— waste, useless

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This jade is a family treasure (传家宝).
  • The baby is our precious child (宝宝).
  • The museum displays national treasures (国宝).
  • He collects rare treasures (宝物).

Collocations

  • treasure(宝贝)
  • baby(宝宝)
  • national treasure(国宝)
  • treasure chest(宝箱)
  • treasure hunt(寻宝)
  • priceless treasure(无价之宝)

Idioms

  • As if finding a treasure(如获至宝)
  • Priceless treasure(无价之宝)
  • Treasure sword not old(宝刀不老)
  • Treasure island(宝岛)
  • Treasure mountain returns empty-handed(宝山空回)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with jade, gold, and other precious objects in Chinese culture.
  • Used as a term of endearment for children, especially '宝宝' (baby/treasure).
  • Appears in Buddhist context as 'Three Jewels' (三宝) - Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.

FAQ