The word mother-of-pearl has multiple meanings in Chinese. The earliest meaning refers to the raw material of jewelry-pearls. In later use, the meaning of mother-of-pearl became more extensive. It can refer to real jewelry or other objects or things with similar luster and value, such as tears and light of a certain color. Therefore, mother-of-pearl has both practical reference significance and metaphorical and symbolic significance.

Besides Chinese, the word mother-of-pearl also appears in other languages and cultures. In ancient Egyptian civilization, mother-of-pearl was a common ornament, which was used to make necklaces, earrings and bracelets. In western mythology, mother-of-pearl often appears, such as Aphrodite, the goddess of pearl in Greek mythology, and Venus, the goddess of pearl in Roman mythology.

In addition to the use of traditional cultural relics and fairy tales, mother-of-pearl is still very influential in modern times. Artists often take the luster and color of mother-of-pearl as their inspiration. For example, coco chanel, a famous jewelry designer, used many pearls in their jewelry. In addition, in some modern cultures, mother-of-pearl is also widely used in design and marketing. Classic examples include Takahashi Ryousuke's music album The Story of Mother of Pearl and Lin Qingxuan's novel Mother of Pearl.