1.
treasure house; treasury; storehouse of valuables
A building or place where treasures or valuable items are stored.
王宮の宝庫を見学した。
I visited the palace treasury.
正倉院は古代の宝物の宝庫だ。
The Shosoin is a treasure house of ancient artifacts.
敵の宝庫から財宝を奪い取った。
They seized the treasures from the enemy's treasury.
2.
rich source; treasure trove; mine of (information, resources)
Figuratively, a place, thing, or person that is an abundant source of something valuable — knowledge, natural resources, cultural heritage, etc.
この森は天然資源の宝庫だ。
This forest is a treasure trove of natural resources.
あの図書館は知識の宝庫だ。
That library is a treasure house of knowledge.
日本は温泉の宝庫で、全国に何千もの温泉地がある。
Japan is a treasure trove of hot springs, with thousands of hot spring areas across the country.
USAGE:
The figurative sense (sense 2) is far more common in modern usage. The pattern 〜の宝庫 (a treasure trove of ~) is a set phrase used to praise a place or thing as being rich in something valuable.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 知識の宝庫 (a treasure trove of knowledge)
- 自然の宝庫 (a treasure trove of nature)
- 文化の宝庫 (a treasure trove of culture)
- 情報の宝庫 (a mine of information)