瑇 (dài) - A type of black and white jade & tortoiseshell, particularly referring to hawksbill turtle shell used

瑇Tone 4

dài ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

瑇 · dài

A type of black and white jade;

tortoiseshell, particularly referring to hawksbill turtle shell used in decorative arts.

A type of black and white jadetortoiseshell, particularly referring to hawksbill turtle shell used

Usage highlights

TortoiseshellTortoiseshell jadeTortoiseshell inlayHawksbill turtle shellTortoiseshell ornamentBlack and white jade

Synonyms

  • 玳— tortoiseshell (simplified/variant form)
  • 玳瑁— tortoiseshell (more common compound)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The antique box was inlaid with tortoiseshell (瑇瑁).
  • She wore a bracelet made of black and white jade (瑇玉).
  • Ancient artisans used hawksbill shell (瑇甲) for decoration.

Collocations

  • Tortoiseshell(瑇瑁)
  • Tortoiseshell jade(瑇玉)
  • Tortoiseshell inlay(瑇嵌)
  • Hawksbill turtle shell(瑇甲)
  • Tortoiseshell ornament(瑇饰)
  • Black and white jade(瑇石)

Idioms

  • Tortoiseshell and jade(瑇瑁玉)
  • As precious as tortoiseshell(如瑇似宝)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 瑇 refers to hawksbill turtle shell, historically used in Chinese decorative arts and jewelry.
  • The character is often associated with luxury items and precious materials in traditional craftsmanship.
  • It appears in classical texts describing rare and valuable materials from southern regions.

FAQ