The word "翡翠" is formed by combining two characters: "翡", which originally denotes a bird with red feathers or the color red, and "翠", which originally denotes a bird with green feathers or the color green. Together, they refer to the gemstone jadeite, with the combination emphasizing the green hue (from "翠") often associated with the stone, while the red (from "翡") may allude to occasional reddish variations.