Lapis lazuli, known in English as Lapis Lazuli, literally means “blue gemstone.” The Chinese name “qingjinshi” primarily stems from the close resemblance between the colors cyan and blue; “jin” refers to the golden-yellow hue associated with pyrite. Together, they are called “qingjinshi.” It has a granular structure and a hardness of 5–6. In ancient times, it was commonly used as a coloring pigment or incorporated into jewelry settings and decorative objects.

The finest lapis lazuli comes from Afghanistan; additionally, lapis lazuli is also mined in Myanmar, Angola, Chile, Pakistan, and other regions. The highest-quality lapis lazuli is entirely deep blue, without any yellow or white impurities. Among these, two exceptional varieties are "cornflower blue" and "imperial blue." Of the two, imperial blue has a more dignified and stable hue, while cornflower blue exhibits a subtle violet undertone within its rich blue tone. Such lapis lazuli has a lustrous, oily sheen and excellent light reflectivity. Lapis lazuli that contains evenly distributed golden pyrite is also highly prized.

Today, there are also synthetically produced lapis lazuli on the market. If an entire string of lapis lazuli stones all share the exact same hue without the slightest hint of variation, you should be cautious—such stones are likely counterfeit. Natural lapis lazuli exhibits uneven coloring, with shades ranging from deep to light. In contrast, synthetic lapis lazuli has a uniform hue and color distribution that appears overly consistent. Additionally, natural lapis lazuli has a more translucent texture compared to its synthetic counterpart, which tends to be opaque, feels stiff, and lacks vitality. If golden pyrite is present in the stone, the gold tones in natural lapis lazuli usually appear irregular, with speckled or banded patterns. In synthetic lapis lazuli, the golden hues come from finely ground pyrite powder evenly dispersed throughout the stone, resulting in smoother, more regular patterns. Furthermore, synthetic lapis lazuli has a lower density and more pores; when placed in water, its weight will slightly increase.

In addition, another common treatment for lapis lazuli is dyeing. Typically, the color tends to concentrate along the cracks and fissures in the stone. If you dab an alcohol-soaked cotton swab onto these areas, the swab will pick up the dye. Some merchants even argue that lapis lazuli was historically used as a dye, so fading is perfectly normal. However, in reality, natural lapis lazuli does not easily lose its color.

The mineral most similar to lapis lazuli is sodalite. While their colors are quite comparable, sodalite often occurs in association with white calcite and lacks the golden pyrite inclusions found in lapis lazuli, making it relatively easy to distinguish between the two. Additionally, sodalite is lower than lapis lazuli in both hardness and density.