On the Yomi of 玉石

玉石 (gyokuseki: gems and stones; wheat and tares)     gems + stones

If you read this compound with two on-yomi, you find gems and stones.

玉石 (tama-ishi: pebble; round stone; boulder)     gems + stones

If you use two kun-yomi, the breakdown is the same, but the net result seems much less valuable (a mere pebble?!), though potentially bigger (a boulder!).

Typically, kun-kun combinations come from Old Japan, before the arrival of kanji. What does this discrepancy in meaning say about Old Japan?! Not quite sure, but you’ll want to hang onto those on-yomi readings for these next two jewel words:

緑玉石 (ryokugyokuseki: emerald)     green + gem + stone
黄玉石 (ōgyokuseki or kōgyokuseki: topaz)   yellow + gem + stone

In ōgyokuseki and kōgyokuseki, both takes on 黄 are on-yomi. Speaking of yomi, we saw 緑玉 and 黄玉 in my first JPod blog, where I wrote about the confusion inherent in kōgyoku as a yomi.

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