珠 — “Pearl / Gem / Jewel” in Japanese

Master (高手)しゅ, たま

Radical ⽟ · radical 96 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Pearl / Gem / Jewel” in Japanese is 珠, read shu, tama (しゅ, たま). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 真珠 (pearl).

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What does 珠 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	珠
Meaning	Pearl / Gem / Jewel
Readings	しゅ, たま
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	真珠 (pearl)

How to read 珠

珠 is read shu (しゅ) or tama (たま) depending on the word.

Words with 珠

真珠

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Kanji read the same way as 珠

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28