璣 (jī) - Irregular pearl & small pearl

璣Tone 1

jī ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

璣 · jī

Irregular pearl;

small pearl;

ancient astronomical instrument;

jade-like stone.

Irregular pearlsmall pearlancient astronomical instrument

Usage highlights

Pearls and jadesArmillary sphereEloquent speechSmall pearlJade instrumentAstronomical instrument

Synonyms

  • 珠— pearl; bead
  • 玉— jade; precious stone
  • 寶— treasure; precious

Antonyms

  • 石— stone; common rock
  • 瓦— tile; earthenware

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The emperor's crown was adorned with pearls and jades (珠璣).
  • Ancient astronomers used armillary spheres (璣衡) to observe stars.
  • Her speech was eloquent and well-chosen (字字珠璣).
  • This jade artifact contains small pearl-like inclusions (玉璣).

Collocations

  • Pearls and jades(珠璣)
  • Armillary sphere(璣衡)
  • Eloquent speech(珠璣之言)
  • Small pearl(璣珠)
  • Jade instrument(玉璣)
  • Astronomical instrument(璣儀)

Idioms

  • Every word a gem(字字珠璣)
  • Pearls and jades of speech(珠璣咳唾)
  • Precious words like pearls(珠璣滿腹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 璣 was originally referred to small or irregular pearls, contrasting with round perfect pearls (珠).
  • In ancient astronomy, 璣 was part of the armillary sphere (璣衡) used for celestial observation.
  • The character appears in literary expressions praising eloquent speech and valuable writing.
  • As a jade-related character, it carries connotations of rarity and refinement.

FAQ