寶 (bǎo)

treasure, jewel; rare, precious

Etymology

Depicts an assortment of valuable things, including jade (玉) and shells (貝), being stored safely under a roof (宀). The 缶 component represents the sound.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“寶,珍也。从宀,从王,从貝,缶聲。寚,古文寶省貝。”

Components