Definitions
(noun)
shellfish; shell (used as currency in ancient times)
Etymology
Simplified form of 貝. Pictograph of a cowrie shell. In ancient China such shells were used as currency.
About
The traditional form 貝 originated as a pictograph of a cowrie shell, its form depicting the shell's ridges and a bottom opening. Since cowrie shells functioned as early currency, the character became linked to wealth, money, and valuable goods. Consequently, 贝 is a highly productive radical, appearing in many characters related to finance, trade, and commerce, such as 财 (wealth), 购 (purchase), and 贵 (expensive). The simplified form reduces internal strokes and the bottom legs for writing ease.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我有一个大贝壳。
我收藏了许多贝壳。
我在海边捡贝壳。
这个宝贝真可爱。
午餐我们吃蒜蓉扇贝。
这些贝类非常新鲜。
我买了一顶新贝雷帽。
他很擅长弹奏贝斯。