A semi-precious jewel or stone is one people value and sell, but the old jewellery trade puts it below diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald — the ones they call precious. Stones like garnet, topaz, turquoise, and many coloured crystals sit in this looser group.

A semi-precious jewel or stone一種semi-precious的寶石或石頭是 one people value and sell人們珍惜也會買賣的東西, but但 the old jewellery trade舊式珠寶業 puts it below把它排在 diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald鑽石、紅寶石、藍寶石、祖母綠 之下——the ones they call precious這些被稱為precious（貴重）的寶石. Stones like garnet, topaz, turquoise, and many coloured crystals像石榴石、topaz（黃玉）、turquoise（綠松石）和許多有色水晶這樣的石頭 sit in this looser group屬於這個比較鬆散的分類.

The word is an adjective: a semi-precious stone, a semi-precious gem. It is not a noun on its own in careful talk. Shops still say it.

The word這個字是 an adjective形容詞: a semi-precious stone, a semi-precious gema semi-precious stone、a semi-precious gem（這樣的用法）. It它 is not不是 a noun名詞 on its own單獨用 in careful talk在講究的用法裡. Shops店家 still say it還是這麼說.

Though actually, that ranking is a shop habit, not a law of nature. Some so-called semi-precious stones can cost more than a small diamond.

Though actually不過事實上, that ranking這種排法是 a shop habit生意上的習慣, not不是 a law of nature自然的規律. Some so-called semi-precious stones有些所謂的semi-precious石頭 can cost more than a small diamond可能比一顆小鑽石還貴.

Jade, which many Taiwanese families treasure, gets called semi-precious on English lists, and that can feel wrong here, because jade is not “second class” in this culture. Gem scientists today often just say gemstone and talk about hardness, colour, and how rare it is.

Jade玉, which many Taiwanese families treasure許多台灣家庭很珍惜的東西, gets called semi-precious on English lists在英文清單上卻被叫做semi-precious, and而 that can feel wrong here這在這裡可能讓人覺得不太對, because因為 jade is not "second class" in this culture玉在這個文化裡不是「次等」的東西. Gem scientists today今天的寶石科學家 often just say gemstone常常就直接說gemstone（寶石）, and而 talk about討論 hardness, colour, and how rare it is硬度、顏色，以及有多稀有.