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玉石 (たまいし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

玉たま石いし

た

ま

い

し

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

pebble; round stone; boulder

Refers to a stone or rock, often rounded by water, ranging from small pebbles to larger boulders. The size is context-dependent.

川原かわらで丸まるい玉たま石いしを拾ひろった。
I picked up a round pebble at the riverbank.
庭にわに大おおきな玉たま石いしを置おいて飾かざりに

Kanji

玉jewel, ball
石stone

Similar words

石いし
石 is the general word for 'stone' of any shape or size, while 玉石 specifically suggests a rounded stone, often found in rivers or used decoratively.
小こ石いし
小石 explicitly means 'small stone' or 'pebble', emphasizing small size, whereas 玉石 can refer to stones of various sizes, including larger boulders.

Etymology

Compound of 玉 (たま, 'ball, jewel') and 石 (いし, 'stone'), referring to a stone that is rounded like a ball. The reading たまいし is a straightforward combination of the two elements.

し

た

。

I placed a large boulder in the garden as a decoration.