About
The character "珊" is structured from the semantic component "玉", meaning jade, combined with the phonetic component "冊" (simplified to "册"), which suggests its pronunciation. Its traditional form maintains this same composition. Originally, the character did not refer to the substance coral but was used in the reduplicated term "珊瑚" to phonetically represent the word for coral, a meaning it later absorbed independently. This association was likely reinforced by the visual resemblance of fine coral branches to intricate jade ornaments, with the character's jade radical further anchoring it within the semantic category of precious, stone-like materials. Over time, while its core meaning solidified around coral, the character preserved its phonetic role in classical terms like "珊珊", an onomatopoeic description for the gentle, tinkling sound of jade pendants moving, a usage that connects back to its original etymological elements.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
珊珊来了吗？
我很喜欢珊瑚。
珊珊在看书。
珊珊买了红珊瑚。
海洋里有美丽珊瑚。
珊珊昨天去看了珊瑚展。
珊珊和朋友一起保护珊瑚礁。
科学家研究珊瑚如何适应气候变化。