貝: the kanji for shellfish; shell
貝 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means shellfish; shell. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
貝 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
貝 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
かい (kai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 貝かい · kai | shellfish; shell |
| 貝殻かいがら · kaigara | seashell |
| 巻き貝まきがい · makigai | spiral shell; snail |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 海岸できれいな貝殻を拾った。Kaigan de kirei na kaigara o hirotta.I picked up pretty seashells on the beach.
- 貝のスープを作った。Kai no sūpu o tsukutta.I made shellfish soup.
- 干潮の時に貝を取った。Kanchō no toki ni kai o totta.We gathered shellfish at low tide.
- 砂浜で巻き貝を見つけた。Sunahama de makigai o mitsuketa.I found a spiral shell on the beach.
- 彼は貝のように黙ってしまった。Kare wa kai no yō ni damatte shimatta.He clammed up and would not say a word.
Questions about 貝
How many strokes does 貝 have?
貝 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 貝?
貝 has no on reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table. The kun readings are kai (かい).
What JLPT level is 貝?
N2. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N2 is designed to match the former Level 2.
More JLPT N2 kanji
Nature, weather and animals
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 貝
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.