1.
gold; golden color
Gold as a precious metal, or the brilliant golden color. Often used in literary, elevated, or dramatic contexts.
黄金に輝く像。
A statue gleaming with gold.
秋の田んぼは黄金色に染まっていた。
The autumn rice paddies were dyed golden.
古代の人々は黄金を神聖なものとして崇めた。
Ancient peoples revered gold as something sacred.
2.
golden; most valuable; prime
Used figuratively to describe something supremely valuable, ideal, or at its peak.
あの時代が黄金期だった。
That era was the golden age.
朝の時間は黄金の時間だ。
Morning hours are golden hours.
このチームの黄金コンビは誰にも止められなかった。
This team's golden duo couldn't be stopped by anyone.
A more literary and elevated word for gold than 金.
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 黄金色 (golden color)
- 黄金期 (golden age)
- 黄金比 (golden ratio)
- 黄金コンビ (golden duo/pair)
Also read as こがね in some words, especially poetic or traditional contexts: 黄金 refers to gold as a material. The reading おうごん is more common in modern usage and compounds.