Jade holds a status in Chinese culture comparable to gold or diamonds in the West. The character 玉 appears in many names and idioms. 抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù, 'throw a brick to attract jade') means to offer a modest idea hoping to inspire a better one.
history
The radical 玉 (king + dot) appears in many gem-related characters: 珠 (zhū, pearl), 琴 (qín, musical instrument), 理 (lǐ, reason — originally meant the veins in jade).
