宝 bǎo treasure
treasure; jewel; precious
How to remember 宝: 宀 house + 玉 jade = treasure. In Grandma's house a green jade bracelet sits in a tin box, the family's greatest treasure.
Component breakdown
宝 = 宀 house + 玉 jade
- 宀 house
- 玉 jade
In Grandma's house a green jade bracelet sits in a tin box, the family's greatest treasure.
How it is used
- 宝贝 (bǎobèi) is used both literally for "a treasured object" and affectionately for children or loved ones, like "darling".
- 宝贵 (bǎoguì) is an adjective for abstract precious things, e.g. 宝贵的时间 (bǎoguì de shíjiān) - precious time.
- 国宝 (guóbǎo) - national treasure - is the standard term for giant pandas as well as cultural relics.
- 珠宝 (zhūbǎo) means jewelry; mostly a bound morpheme rather than a standalone word.