In this article, we will share a complete list of gemstones in Japanese, stones that use ideograms, and also those written in Katakana. If you are wondering how to say diamond, ruby, or any other stone in Japanese, this article will answer your questions.
We also recommend reading:
- 50 Popular Japanese Flowers
- Elements of the Periodic Table in Japanese
- Clothes in Japanese – Clothing and Accessories
Gemstones in Japanese with Kanji
In Japanese, there are many gemstones that have their version in Japanese with ideograms; they may not be frequently used, but their literal meanings and the combination of ideograms perfectly match the stone in question.
In parentheses, a small description of the stone or its literal meaning will be placed. See below a list of gemstones in Japanese with ideograms:
- 砥粒 (To-ryu) – Diamond – literally “grinding grain” (extremely hard carbon mineral stone)
- 紅玉 (Kogyoku) – Ruby – literally “red ball” (intensely red mineral stone)
- 青玉 (Seigyoku) – Sapphire – literally “blue ball” (blue or bluish-green mineral stone)
- 翡翠 (Hisui) – Emerald – literally “green stone” (intensely green mineral stone)
- 藍玉 (Raigyoku) – Aquamarine – literally “light blue ball” (light blue or bluish-green mineral stone)
- 蛋白石 (Tanpakuseki) – Opal – literally “protein stone” (mineral stone with an opalescent appearance of multiple colors)
- 石榴石 (Shakuto-seki) – Garnet – literally “pomegranate stone” (multicolored mineral stone)
- 紫水晶 (Murasaki-suishou) – Amethyst – literally “purple crystal” (violet or purple mineral stone)
- 黄玉 (Ougyoku) – Topaz – literally “yellow ball” (multicolored mineral stone)
- 翠玉 (Suigyoku) – Turquoise – literally “light green ball” (bluish-green mineral stone)
- 玉 (Tama) – Jade – literally “precious stone” (generic term referring to a wide variety of mineral stones used in jewelry, including jadeite and nephrite)
- 緑柱石 (Ryokuchuuseki) – Peridot – literally “yellow-green stone” (greenish-yellow mineral stone)
- 紫紅輝石 (Shikoukiseki) – Morganite – literally “bright purple-pink stone” (pink or purple mineral stone)
- 黄水晶 (Kisuishou) – Citrine – literally “yellow crystal” (yellow or orange-yellow mineral stone)
- 蒼玉 (Sougyoku) – Blue Topaz – literally “light blue ball” (light blue mineral stone)
Below are more gemstones, but without focusing too much on the literal meanings of each ideogram:
- 紅水晶 (Beni-suishou) – Rose Quartz (pink crystal)
- 葡萄石 (Budou-seki) – Pink Amethyst (grape stone)
- 黄玉髄 (Ou-gyoku-zui) – Yellow Calcite (yellow ball core)
- 赤葡萄石 (Aka-budou-seki) – Rhodocrosite (red grape stone)
- 黒曜石 (Kokuyou-seki) – Obsidian (shiny black stone)
- 黄銅鉱 (Oudoukou) – Chalcopyrite (yellow copper ore)
- 石榴子石 (Sekishizukushi-seki) – Garnet (pomegranate stone)
- 黄玉石 (Ougyoku-seki) – Citrine (yellow ball stone)
- 芙蓉石 (Fuyou-seki) – Spinel (lotus flower stone)
- 蛍石 (Hotaru-ishii) – Fluorite (firefly stone)
- 水晶 (Suishou) – Crystal (water stone)
- 黒縞瑪瑙 (Kokujiman) – Onyx (black and white striped agate)
- 碧玉 (Heki-gyoku) – Blue Jade (bluish-green precious stone)
- 瑪瑙 (Mano) – Agate (striped stone)
- 翠石 (Sui-seki) – Jade (green precious stone)
- 紫雲母 (Shikunmou) – Lepidolite (purple mica)
- 瑠璃 (Ruri) – Blue Glass (cobalt blue glass)
- 雲母 (Unmou) – Muscovite (transparent mica)
- 蛇紋石 (Jamon-seki) – Jasper (snake stone)
- 赤銅鉱 (Sekidoukou) – Red Chalcopyrite (red copper ore)
- 黒柘榴石 (Kokuzetu-ringou) – Black Garnet (black precious stone)
- 翠鷲石 (Suijuu-seki) – Turquoise (bluish-green precious stone)
- 紫水晶 (Murasaki-suishou) – Amethyst (purple crystal)
- 白玉 (Byakugyoku) – White Jade (white precious stone)
- 黄水晶 (Ki-suishou) – Yellow Quartz (yellow crystal)
- 玉鉱 (Gyokkou) – Spodumene (jade ore)
- 玉簾石 (Gyoku-rensui) – Serpentine (jade curtain stone)
- 藍玉髄 (Ai-gyoku-zui) – Lapis Lazuli (blue ball core)
- 珊瑚 (Sango) – Coral (coral)
- 紅珊瑚 (Beni-sango) – Red Coral (red coral)
- 玉蜀黍 (Gyoku-shokoshu) – Opal (colored precious stone)
- 茜石 (Akane-seki) – Garnet (carmine stone)
- 碧玉髄 (Heki-gyoku-zui) – Jadeite (greenish-blue ball core)
- 葉蝋石 (Yourou-seki) – Crisoberyl (leaf wax stone)
- 紅玉 (Beni-gyoku) – Carnelian (red jade)
- 緑柱石 (Ryoku-chuu-seki) – Actinolite (green column stone)
- 白雲母 (Byaku-unmou) – White Muscovite (white mica)
- 蒼玉 (Sou-gyoku) – Gray Jade (gray precious stone)
- 緑玉髄 (Ryoku-gyoku-zui) – Vesuvianite (green ball core)
- 瑠璃色 (Ruri-iro) – Cobalt Blue (cobalt blue color)
- 碧翡翠 (Heki-hisui) – Green Jade (bluish-green jade)
- 赤瑪瑙 (Aka-mano) – Carnelian (red agate)
- 黄水晶 (Ki-suishou) – Yellow Quartz (yellow crystal)
- 青金石 (Seikin-seki) – Lapis Lazuli (blue fish stone)
- 虎眼石 (Kokyan-seki) – Tiger’s Eye (tiger eye stone)
- 赤銅鉱 (Sekidoukou) – Red Chalcopyrite (red copper ore)
- 翡翠 (Hisui) – Jade (green jade)
- 黒耀石 (Koku-you-seki) – Magnetite (shiny black stone)
- 緑柱石 (Ryoku-chuu-seki) – Actinolite (green column stone)
- 石榴石 (Seki-shi-zu-ishi) – Garnet (pomegranate stone)
- 黄緑石 (Ou-ryoku-seki) – Peridot (yellow-green precious stone)
- 紫蛇紋石 (Murasaki-jamon-seki) – Purple Jasper (purple snake stone)
- 赤金石 (Akakin-seki) – Pyrite (red gold stone)
- 真珠 (Shinju) – Pearl (pearl)
- 紅瑪瑙 (Beni-mano) – Red Carnelian (red agate)
- 翡翠玉 (Hisui-dama) – Jadeite (green jade precious stone)
- 白金石 (Hakkin-seki) – Kyanite (white gold stone)
- 沙漠玫瑰 (Sabaku-barahana) – Desert Rose (rose of the desert)
- 赤水晶 (Aka-suishou) – Red Quartz (red crystal)
- 瑪瑙色 (Mano-iro) – Agate (color) (agate color)
- 緑青石 (Rokushou-seki) – Malachite (bluish-green stone)
- 玉髄 (Gyoku-zui) – Spodumene (jade core)
- 翡翠石 (Hisui-seki) – Jadeite (green jade precious stone)
- 青水晶 (Seisui-shou) – Blue Quartz (blue crystal)
- 赤紅石 (Sekikou-seki) – Hematite (red stone)
- 紅雲母 (Beni-unmou) – Red Muscovite (red mica)
- 葉石 (You-seki) – Crisoberyl (leaf stone)
- 黒曜 (Koku-yo) – Obsidian (black stone)
- 紅緑石 (Beni-ryoku-seki) – Epidote (red and green stone)
- 青金魚石 (Seikin-gyo-seki) – Sodalite (blue fish stone)
- 白玉髄 (Byaku-gyoku-zui) – White Jade (white jade ball core)
- 玉 (Tama) – Precious Stone (jade, precious stone)
- 瑪瑙髄 (Mano-zui) – Agate with veins (agate core)
Gemstones in Japanese with Katakana
Below is a list of gemstones generally written in Katakana that have been imported from other languages:
- ダイヤモンド (daiyamondo) – diamond
- ルビー (rubii) – ruby
- サファイア (safaiya) – sapphire
- エメラルド (emerarudo) – emerald
- アクアマリン (akuamarin) – aquamarine
- オパール (opaaru) – opal
- ガーネット (gaanetto) – garnet
- アメジスト (amejisuto) – amethyst
- トパーズ (topaazu) – topaz
- ターコイズ (taakoiizu) – turquoise
- ジェード (jeedo) – jade
- ペリドット (peridotto) – peridot
- モルガナイト (moruganaito) – morganite
- シトリン (shitorin) – citrine
- ブルートパーズ (buruutopaazu) – blue topaz
- ムーンストーン (muunsutoon) – moonstone
- サンストーン (sansutoon) – sunstone
- アイオライト (aioraito) – iolite
- ラピスラズリ (rapisurazuri) – lapis lazuli
- アンバー (anbaa) – amber
- タンザナイト (tanzanaito) – tanzanite
- カーネリアン (kaanerian) – carnelian
- ペリドット (peridotto) – peridot
- スピネル (supineru) – spinelle
- クォーツ (kuootsu) – quartz
- オニキス (onikisu) – onyx
- ルチルクォーツ (ruchirukuootsu) – rutilated quartz
- ヒスイ (hisui) – jadeite
- サドルジャスパー (sadorujasupaa) – sardonyx jasper
- ブラックダイヤモンド (burakkudaiyamondo) – black diamond
Leave a Reply