Several parts combine into one character.

玉 is three jade discs threaded on one cord — almost identical to 王 but marked off by an added dot (丶). In 王 the horizontal gaps are wider at the top; in 玉 they are even. In East Asia jade was never a mere gemstone: it was the most precious of stones, emblem of the gentleman's virtue, of purity and immortality.

Mandarin: yù, 4th tone. 玉 (yù, jade), 玉米 (yùmǐ, corn — "jade rice"), and stories like 和氏璧 (héshìbì, the jade of Mr. He). Jade often enters Chinese given names — Lín Dàiyù, the heroine of Dream of the Red Chamber, carries 玉 in her name.

Japanese: on-reading ギョク (gyoku), kun たま (tama). 玉 (tama, ball / bead), 目玉 (medama, eyeball), 十円玉 (jūendama, a ten-yen coin). In Japanese たま covers round things in general.

Korean hanja-sound "ok": 玉 (ok, jade), 珠玉 (juok, gem), 白玉 (baegok, white jade). The proverb "a flaw in the jade" treats 玉 as the very standard of perfection.

As a radical it shrinks to the 王 shape (no dot) on the left of 珠 (pearl), 球 (ball), 理 (principle — originally "to work jade along its veins").

Memory aid: 王 plus one dot — not the king (王) but the jade beads the king wears (玉).