琛

chēn

王 + 罙

Definitions

chēn (noun) precious stone; gem

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 王 represents the meaning and 罙 represents the sound.

Semantic: 王 Phonetic: 罙

About

琛 (chēn) is a phono-semantic compound combining the semantic radical 王 (玉, 'jade'), indicating precious stones or valuables, with the phonetic component 罙 (shēn), an obsolete character meaning 'deep'. Its primary meaning is a general term for treasures, rare gems, or valuable jewels, and it often appears in classical literature and poetry to describe objects of great worth. Because of its associations with preciousness and rarity, it is also a popular choice for personal names in Chinese-speaking communities.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

琛是我的好朋友。

Chēn shì wǒ de hǎo péngyǒu.

Chen is my good friend.

王琛今天来上班。

Wáng Chēn jīntiān lái shàngbān.

Wang Chen came to work today.

我听说过琛的故事。

Wǒ tīng shuō guò Chēn de gùshì.

I have heard of Chen's story.

琛的才华让人钦佩。

Chēn de cáihuá ràng rén qīnpèi.

Chen's talent is admirable.

这件礼物像琛一样珍贵。

Zhè jiàn lǐwù xiàng chēn yīyàng zhēnguì.

This gift is as precious as treasure.

这座城市藏着无数的琛宝。

Zhè zuò chéngshì cáng zhe wúshù de chēnbǎo.

This city hides countless treasures.

探险队希望找到传说中的琛。

Tànxiǎnduì xīwàng zhǎodào chuánshuō zhōng de chēn.

The expedition team hopes to find the legendary treasure.

在古籍中，琛常被用来比喻极珍贵的事物。

Zài gǔjí zhōng, chēn cháng bèi yòng lái bǐyù jí zhēnguì de shìwù.

In ancient books, "chen" is often used to metaphorically refer to extremely precious things.

Related Characters

Component: 王

Component: 罙

琛