The word 玉米 is formed through a vivid, metaphorical combination of its two characters: 玉 (yù), meaning "jade", and 米 (mǐ), meaning "rice". It visually and conceptually describes the plant's edible kernels, which are seen as resembling smooth, polished pieces of jade, while also identifying it as a type of grain or "rice" that grows on a cob. The term essentially paints a poetic picture of "jade-like rice", directly capturing the appearance and nature of what is known in English as corn or maize.