珠
pearl, gem, jewel
Readings
On'yomi
- シュ
Kun'yomi
- たま
Nanori
- す
- とも
- ま
- み
Meaning
珠 centers on small, precious, rounded objects: pearls, gems, and jewels. The core idea is something valuable and bead-like.
Most common words using 珠
20 of 64- 真珠しんじゅN1
pearl
- 数珠じゅず
rosary; string of prayer beads
- 珠玉しゅぎょく
jewel; gem
- 宝珠ほうじゅ
precious orb
- 曼珠沙華まんじゅしゃげ
red spider lily (Lycoris radiata); cluster amaryllis; cluster belladonna; manjusaka
- 念珠ねんじゅ
rosary; string of prayer beads
- 数珠繋ぎじゅずつなぎ
linking together; tying in a row
- 珠算しゅざん
calculation on an abacus
- 連珠れんじゅ
variant of gobang (game)
- 擬宝珠ぎぼし
ornamental railing top; bridge railing-post knob
- 人工真珠じんこうしんじゅ
artificial pearls
- 人造真珠じんぞうしんじゅ
artificial pearls
- 大葉擬宝珠おおばぎぼうし
Hosta montana (species of plantain lily)
- 天珠てんじゅ
dzi bead; Himalayan agate bead
- 如意宝珠にょいほうじゅ
Cintamani stone; wish-fulfilling jewel
- 宝珠の玉ほうじゅのたま
Cintamani stone; wish-fulfilling jewel
- 小葉擬宝珠こばぎぼうし
Hosta sieboldii (species of plantain lily)
- 川真珠貝かわしんじゅがい
Margaritifera laevis (species of freshwater pearl mussel)
- 念珠藻ねんじゅも
nostoc
- 掌中の珠しょうちゅうのたま
apple of one's eye; one's jewel
Study
Etymology
珠 combines 王 (jade/jewel) with 朱, which likely contributes the sound and possibly the idea of a red or precious bead. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 王 (jewel) and the right side 朱 (vermillion) together suggest a precious red bead: a pearl or gem.
Reading mnemonic
For シュ, imagine a shoe filled with pearls: shoe -> シュ, and the pearls are the jewels inside.