JLPT N2 · 7 strokes
Kanji 貝: "shellfish"
The kanji 貝 means "shellfish". It is written with 7 strokes and belongs to JLPT level N2, read バイ in on'yomi and かい in kun'yomi.
Stroke order
Strokes are written in the order of the numbers. The order is not decorative: it is what gives the character its balance, and it is also how handwriting search works in Japanese dictionaries.
Readings
On'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading)
バイ
Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading)
かい
In a kun'yomi reading, the dot separates the kanji from its okurigana: かた.る is read かたる and written 語る. A hyphen marks a bound position, like -び in 日.
At a glance
| Meaning | shellfish |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 7 |
| JLPT level | N2 |
| Taught in Japan | grade 1 |
| Frequency rank | 1787 of 2,501 |
Common words with 貝
The most frequent words using this kanji, most common first, with furigana readings. Click one to open it in the reader.
- 貝shellfish · seashell; shell
- 貝殻seashell; shell
- 貝塚shell heap; shell mound; kitchen midden
- 貝類shellfish
- 貝柱adductor muscle · adductor muscle of a bivalve (e.g. scallop, etc.)
- 巻き貝snail; spiral shell
- 二枚貝bivalve
- 桜貝Nitidotellina nitidula (species of tellin)
- ムール貝(edible) mussel (esp. the Mediterranean mussel or blue mussel)
- 青貝limpet
- ほら貝conch (esp. Charonia tritonis); trumpet shell
- 赤貝blood clam (Scapharca broughtonii); ark shell
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