How to say "emerald" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe common, everyday word for the emerald gemstone; when you mean the jewel itself — in jewelry, gems, and similar talk — this is the word to use.
- 緑玉りょくぎょくnounA less common word for the gemstone, literally 'green jewel'; in ordinary talk about the stone you will almost always want エメラルド instead.
- 翠玉すいぎょくnounA less common synonym for the gemstone emerald, built from characters meaning 'green' and 'jewel'; for the gem itself, エメラルド is the word you will normally want.
- 緑玉石りょくぎょくせきnounA less common name, literally 'emerald stone', that has the flavor of a mineral term; it is seldom the word you want for the gem — use エメラルド.
- 碧色へきしょくnounA color term meaning 'green'; its 'emerald' sense refers to the color, not the jewel. Choose it when describing a green shade, never for the gemstone itself.
Use 「エメラルド」 for the gemstone in almost all contexts; the three kanji words are less common synonyms you will seldom need, while 碧色 is a color word for a shade of green, not the jewel.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
