also: じきん
base metal (for plating)
Specifically the underlying metal onto which a plating or coating is applied; common in manufacturing and jewelry contexts.
true character; true colors
Used figuratively to refer to a person's real nature, often with a negative connotation; frequently appears in expressions like 地金が出る (one's true colors show).
This factory processes raw metal to make products.
The price of gold bullion is rising.
The base metal of this ring is silver, with gold plating on the surface.
He is usually kind, but his true colors come out when he gets angry.
His true character is surprisingly stingy.
gold bullion
Standard kanji spelling for all senses; reading じがね is the most common.
Alternate reading, less common; may be encountered in specialized contexts.
Compound of 地 (base, ground) and 金 (metal). The figurative sense derives from the idea of revealing the base metal beneath a surface coating.