Contrary to popular belief, traditional Chinese jade is not the apple green jadeite. When jade is referred to in Chinese literature and history, it is usually nephrite. Nephrite is softer and easier to carve than jade, and nearly everything has been made out of it at some point or other. The traditional betrothal gifts of a Chinese couple were a nephrite butterfly (for the boy) and a nephrite hair ornament (for the girl). The most commonly seen color of nephrite is probably the soft white/light green. Easily mistaken for the lesser serpentine, athough the Chinese word for "jade" is really a generic term that includes nephrite, serpentine, jadeite, and even agate, jasper, and other common stones.