白玉是一个特定的玉石品种，是白色软玉的特定名称。因为这种软玉主要产于新疆和田等地，所以常被称为和田玉。软玉因为所含矿物和化学成分的差异而导致颜色的不同，所以软玉又有白玉、青玉之分，另外还有碧玉、墨玉等因色而命名的软玉品种。

白玉是软玉中最为珍贵的玉石品种。软玉的质地十分细腻，用手触摸有滑感，它是由粒经小于0.01毫米的纤维状透闪石—阳起石晶体交织在一起的集合体，玉一般呈毡状、簇状和捆状交织结构。

White jade is a specific variety of jade, which is the specific name of white nephrite. Because this kind of nephrite is mainly produced in Hotan and other places in Xinjiang, it is often called Hotan jade. Nephrite has different colors because of the difference of mineral and chemical composition, so nephrite can be divided into white jade and blue jade. In addition, there are nephrite varieties named after color, such as jasper and jet jade.

White jade is the most precious variety of nephrite. The texture of nephrite is very delicate and smooth when touched by hand. It is an aggregate of fibrous tremolite and actinolite crystals with grain diameter less than 0.01mm. Nephrite is generally felt, clustered and bundled.