璃

Phono-semantic compound:

璃 = 玉 (“jade, precious stone”, semantic) + 离 (“li”, phonetic element)

玉 (옥) — semantic: indicates gemstone, luster, precious materials

离 (리) — phonetic: originally representing a mythical spirit or mountain deity, but functioning here purely as a sound component

Thus 璃 conveys the meaning of a precious, shiny, glasslike stone.

In early Chinese texts, 琉璃 (liúlí) referred not to modern glass, but to colored, high-temperature glazed material used in ornaments, ritual objects, and later Buddhist art.

Material / glass:

琉璃 (유리) — glass; glazed ornament

琉璃光 (유리광) — crystal radiance, glossy shine

Buddhist and literary expressions:

琉璃世界 (유리세계) — the Pure Land’s clear, glasslike realm

琉璃殿 (유리전) — “Crystal Hall,” poetic/temple terminology

琉璃珠 (유리주) — glass beads; lustrous jewels

Figurative meaning:

Used to evoke transparency, purity, spiritual brightness.

心如琉璃 (심여유리) — “a mind as clear as glass”

璃 belongs to the large family of 玉-radical “precious-stone” characters (瑤, 璧, 璜, 璣…), each expressing different qualities of gemstones.

Relationship to 琉:

璃 almost always appears with 琉, forming 琉璃, a classical term for ornamental glass, imported into Buddhist vocabulary via Sanskrit vaiḍūrya (वैडूर्य), meaning lapis lazuli / blue gemstone.

Classical citations:

《列子·湯問》 (Liezi • Questions of Tang)

「琉璃之器，色明而不渝。」

“A vessel of liuli (colored glass) shines brightly and does not lose its hue.”

Here, 琉璃 (璃) signifies a brilliant, durable translucent material.

《大般涅槃經》 (Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, Chinese translation)

「佛身光明，猶如琉璃。」

“The Buddha’s body radiates light as clear as crystal-like liuli.”

璃 symbolizes purity and spiritual radiance.

《佛說阿弥陀經》 (Amitābha Sutra)

「其地琉璃，明淨無瑕。」

“Its ground is of liuli, bright and flawless.”

Used to describe the Pure Land, with strong symbolic and aesthetic meaning.