璞 (pú) - Uncut jade & uncarved gem

璞Tone 2

pú ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

璞 · pú

Uncut jade;

uncarved gem;

natural, unadorned state;

metaphor for innate talent or virtue that is yet to be refined.

Uncut jadeuncarved gemnatural, unadorned state

Usage highlights

Uncut jadeReturn to simplicityHold jade in bosomJade not yet carvedCarve the uncut jadeRough jade

Synonyms

  • 玉— jade (polished, finished)
  • 朴— simple, plain
  • 素— plain, unadorned

Antonyms

  • 琢— carve, polish
  • 饰— decorate, adorn
  • 华— ornate, magnificent

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is like uncut jade (璞玉), full of potential.
  • The artist values the raw beauty of uncarved stone (返璞归真).
  • Her talent remains unpolished (抱璞怀玉).
  • The philosopher advocated returning to a simple life (归璞返真).

Collocations

  • Uncut jade(璞玉)
  • Return to simplicity(返璞归真)
  • Hold jade in bosom(抱璞)
  • Jade not yet carved(良璞未剖)
  • Carve the uncut jade(琢璞)
  • Rough jade(璞石)

Idioms

  • Return to one's original simplicity(返璞归真)
  • Hold uncut jade and cherish it(抱璞怀玉)
  • Gold in its natural state and jade uncut(浑金璞玉)
  • Jade not yet carved and stone not yet polished(璞玉浑金)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Daoist philosophy, 璞 represents the original, unadorned state of nature and humanity, valued above artificial refinement.
  • Confucian tradition uses uncut jade as a metaphor for innate virtue that requires cultivation through education and self-discipline.
  • The character appears in classical texts like Zhuangzi, emphasizing the value of natural simplicity over artificial decoration.

FAQ