How to say "jasper" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 赤玉あかだまnounChiefly 'red ball', and also a word for amber; its 'jasper' sense is marginal. For the stone you will seldom want this word — reach for 碧玉 or ジャスパー instead.
- nounThe katakana loanword for the gemstone jasper; the straightforward choice when simply naming the stone, as in jewelry or gem-collecting contexts.
- 碧玉へきぎょくnounThe kanji term for jasper as a mineral and gemstone, literally 'blue-green jewel'; the word you meet in mineral and gem references for the stone itself.
For jasper the stone, choose between 碧玉, the kanji name for the mineral, and 「ジャスパー」, the loanword; 赤玉 really means 'red ball' (or amber) and is only marginally 'jasper', so avoid it for the stone.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
