national treasure

English

Noun

Examples
Great Wall of China Route 66

national treasure (plural national treasures)

1. A place, object, or person that is deemed to be of value to an entire nation, usually because of cultural significance.
   • 2022 June 2, Anna Peele, “Inside ‘Love Island,’ From the Tragic Suicide Deaths to New Mental Health Protocols”, in Radhika Jones, editor, Vanity Fair‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 21 September 2026:

     [Marcel] Somerville was called a “national treasure” during the third season. But when he cheated on his Love Island partner, Gabby Allen, after leaving the villa, the U.K. media turned on him.

   • 2025 June 7, Jo Ellison, “Breakfast in bath—yes or eurgh?”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 21:

     But drinking in the bath always feels slightly performative, as though I'm auditioning for the role of beloved boozy singleton and UK national treasure, Bridget Jones.

Translations

something deemed to be of value to an entire nation

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 國寶 / 国宝 (zh) (guóbǎo)

• Danish: nationalskat c (uncommon), nationalskjald c (singer)
• Finnish: kansallisaarre (fi), kansallisomaisuus (fi)
• French: trésor national (fr) m
• German: nationaler Schatz m
• Japanese: 国宝 (ja) (こくほう, kokuhō)
• Korean: 국보(國寶) (gukbo)
• Russian: национа́льное достоя́ние (ru) n (nacionálʹnoje dostojánije), достоя́ние наро́да n (dostojánije naróda), национа́льное сокро́вище n (nacionálʹnoje sokróvišče)
• Spanish: tesoro nacional m
• Swedish: nationalklenod (sv) c