貝 (shell): Kanji Meaning and Pronunciations

  • Meaning: shell, shellfish
  • Pronunciations: kai

The Kanji character “貝” was formed from the hieroglyphs of a certain type of shellfish. That type of shell was used as money in ancient China (17th-10th century BC). That’s why many Kanji characters related to money have “貝” partially used in them.

  • 貝殻(かいがら): shells
  • ほら貝(ほらがい): trumpet shell
  • 二枚貝(にまいがい): bivalve
  • 巻き貝(まきがい): snails, spiral shells, conchs

海岸で貝殻を拾った。
かいがんで かいがらを ひろった。
Kaigan de kaigara wo hirotta.
(I) picked up shells on the beach.

床の間にほら貝が飾られています。
とこのまに ほらがいが かざられています。
Tokonoma ni horagai ga kazararete imasu.
A spiral shell is displayed in the tokonoma

Comments