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 ('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 (pearl), 琴 (musical instrument), 理 (reason, originally meant the veins in jade).
Three horizontals strung on a vertical cord, originally a pictograph of jade discs threaded together. The character 王 'king' descends from the same shape; 玉 is the older meaning.
