One of the best Japanese Kanji dictionary.

Share this page

Kanji Detail for 貝 - "shell"

貝

  • Meaning

    貝 means "shell." Also associated with treasure, pattern.

    1. Shell - A mollusk; shellfish.

    2. Treasure - Valuables; money; currency.

    3. Pattern - A design resembling a shell.

    4. Palm leaf - An abbreviation for Baitara (palm leaf); a tree name.

  • Tattoo check: 貝

    • Verified meaning: shell
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read かい, かいきょう, しぇる)
    • Also carries these associations: treasure, pattern

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Name readings of 貝

    Given names 貝(かい)Listen 貝(しぇる)Listen

    Surnames 貝(かいきょう)Listen

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    shellfish

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    sea shell; money, currency; Kangxi radical 154

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    surname Bei

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    sea shell; money, currency

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    A shelled creature in the sea. A type of mollusk. The outer shell is calcareous. Ancient people used their shells as currency. Therefore characters like 財 (wealth) and 賄 (bribe) mostly have 貝 as component. Today precious things are also called 寶貝 (treasure). | Buddhist monks wrote sutras on the leaves of the pattra tree. Called 貝葉經 (palm-leaf sutras). Also written as 梖.

  • Onyomi

    tip

    bai(バイ) バイ

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    kai(かい) かい

  • Strokes

    tip

    7 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    貝 (kai・kaihen・kogai)

  • Related Keywords

    shell treasure pattern palm leaf abalone bivalve clam cockle conch cowrie fortune gem gold hoard jewel mollusk mussel nautilus ocean oyster precious prize prosperity riches scallop seafood

Sentences including 貝

  • Do you like mussels?

  • I don't like shellfish.

  • She sells seashells by the seashore.

  • It depends on the strength of the flame, the pan used and the type of ingredients.

  • What I have in my hand is a fossil seashell.

  • She sells seashells by the seashore.

  • Scallops are on sale today.

  • Scallops are on sale today.

  • I picked up a pretty shell at the seaside.

  • I found a beautiful shell on the shore.

More kanji with the radical 貝 (kai・kaihen・kogai)

See all kanji with this radical →

Share This Page

Share this link via

Or copy link