寶

🇹🇼🇭🇰🇯🇵🇰🇷

宝

🇨🇳

treasure

HSK 10

Objects →Buildings

bǎo

ホウ

たから

보

Depicts an assortment of valuable things, including jade (玉) and shells (貝), being stored safely under a roof (宀). The 缶 component represents the sound.

Components

Traditional (寶)

宀 roof+ 𤣩 jade (alt)+ 缶 earthen+ 貝 shellfish =

寶 treasure

宀 Iconic component

mián roof

𤣩 Iconic component

yù jade (alt)

jade

𤣩 is a component form of 玉.

缶 Phonetic component

fǒu earthen

earthen crock or jar

View phonetic series →

貝 Iconic component

shellfish

In ancient China shells were used as currency.

Simplified (宝)

宀 roof+ 玉 jade =

宝 treasure

宀 Iconic component

mián roof

玉 Iconic component

yù jade

jade, precious stone, gem

Notes

Historical Evolution

Oracle

(~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle

(~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle

(~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze

Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze

Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze

Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze

Western Zhou (1045-771 BC)

Bronze

Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze

Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze

Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze

Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze

Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Bronze

Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Seal

Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal

Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal

Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal

Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical

Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

寶

Regular

Modern

Chinese

宝 / 寶 [bǎo]

jewel; gem; treasure; precious

Japanese

宝、財、貨、寳、寶たから同音

noun treasure

Example Sentences

🇯🇵 (1)

富は一生の宝、知は万代の宝。

Wisdom is better than gold or silver.

Japanese Names

寶たから

Takara surname

CHINESE WORDS (166)

温家宝 [WēnJiābǎo] #5,582

Wen Jiabao (1942-), Premier of PRC from 2003-2013

宝石 [bǎoshí] #6,510

precious stone

宝藏 [bǎozàng] #5,426

precious mineral deposits

法宝 [fǎbǎo] #25,858

Buddha's teaching

宝钢 [Bǎogāng] #9,146

Baosteel, China's largest steel maker

156 more items

JAPANESE WORDS (5)

Enpō era (1673.9.21-1681.9.29)

輪宝 [りんぼう] #252,535

Cakraratna

文房四宝 [ぶんぼうしほう] #307,369

the four tools of writing (brush, ink, inkstone and paper)

KOREAN WORDS (3)