貝 – Meaning, Reading & Usage

by

貝

貝 means ‘shellfish’ or ‘shell.’ Historically, shells were used as currency in ancient China and Japan, which is why 貝 appears as a radical in many kanji related to money, value, and trade.

Reading

Kun’yomi:

かい (kai)

Basic Information

Kanji 貝
Meaning shell, shellfish
Stroke Count 7
JLPT Level N5

How to Understand This Kanji

While 貝 itself refers to shellfish and shells, its role as a radical is far-reaching. It appears in 買 (buy), 売 (sell), 財 (wealth), and 貯 (save) — all connected to economic concepts rooted in the shell-as-currency history.

Common Words

  • 貝
    （かい）
    — shellfish, shell

  • 貝殻
    （かいがら）
    — shell (empty)

  • 貝類
    （かいるい）
    — shellfish (as a food category)

  • 二枚貝
    （にまいがい）
    — bivalve (clam, oyster, etc.)

  • 巻き貝
    （まきがい）
    — spiral shell, snail

  • 帆立貝
    （ほたてがい）
    — scallop (one of the most popular shellfish in Japan)

Example Sentences

  • 海で貝を拾いました。

    うみでかいをひろいました。

    I picked up shells at the beach.

  • 貝殻をコレクションしています。

    かいがらをコレクションしています。

    I collect shells.

  • 貝の料理が好きです。

    かいのりょうりがすきです。

    I like shellfish dishes.

Related Kanji

  • 買

    — To buy — contains the 貝 radical; the shell-as-money connection makes it memorable

  • 売

    — To sell — also contains 貝; learning 買 and 売 together with 貝 is a common mnemonic

  • 海

    — Sea — where shellfish live; 貝 and 海 appear naturally together in context

When Learners Usually See This Kanji

Learning 貝 unlocks many money-related kanji. Once you recognize the 貝 component in 買 (buy) and 売 (sell), these high-frequency kanji become much easier to remember and distinguish.

Summary

貝 means ‘shellfish’ and is a key radical in many money and trade-related kanji due to the historical use of shells as currency.

Kanji 貝
Meaning shell, shellfish
Kun’yomi かい (kai)
Strokes 7
JLPT N5