宝石（ほうせき、houseki）
- jewel

The Japanese word 宝石 (ほうせき, *houseki*) means "gem," "jewel," or "precious stone." It refers to a valuable and beautiful mineral, usually cut and polished, used for adornment. This word typically describes stones that are prized for their beauty, durability, and rarity. These items are often used in jewelry, such as rings, necklaces, and earrings.

⚫︎美しい宝石 Translation: Beautiful gem ⚫︎宝石店 Translation: Jewelry store ⚫︎宝石をちりばめた王冠 Translation: A crown studded with jewels

You can use 宝石 in various contexts when discussing precious stones and jewelry. ⚫︎When talking about the type of stone ⚫︎When describing jewelry items ⚫︎When mentioning the value of such items. The context determines the specific meaning of 宝石.

⚫︎The word is primarily written in kanji as 宝石. ⚫︎The reading is ほうせき in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana. ⚫︎It is not typically written in katakana.

⚫︎貴石(きせき): Precious stone, gemstone ⚫︎宝玉(ほうぎょく): Jewel, treasure

There aren't direct antonyms, but words referring to less valuable or artificial materials could be considered as contrasts.

彼女は誕生日に美しいルビーの宝石をもらった。 ・Translation: She received a beautiful ruby gem for her birthday. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the gift of a precious stone, a ruby, using the word 宝石.

その宝石はとても高価なので、特別なイベントのためにだけ使います。 ・Translation: That gem is so expensive that I only use it for special events. ・Explanation: The sentence highlights the value of the 宝石and the reason for its limited use.

The word 宝石 is a compound word. 宝 (ほう or たから), meaning "treasure" or "precious," and 石 (せき), meaning "stone." Therefore, 宝石 literally means "treasure stone" or "precious stone."