貝 (bèi) - Shell & cowrie

貝Tone 4

bèi ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 貝

傲不

貝 · bèi

Shell;

cowrie;

currency;

precious object;

historically used as money and ornament.

Shellcowriecurrency

Usage highlights

SeashellShellfishTreasureShell moneyConchScallop

Synonyms

  • 殼— shell, husk
  • 寶— treasure, precious
  • 貨— goods, currency

Antonyms

  • 貧— poor, impoverished
  • 賤— cheap, worthless

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Ancient people used shells as currency (貝殼貨幣).
  • This is a beautiful seashell (貝殼).
  • He collects rare shells (貝類).
  • The treasure chest was filled with shells (寶貝).

Collocations

  • Seashell(貝殼)
  • Shellfish(貝類)
  • Treasure(寶貝)
  • Shell money(貝幣)
  • Conch(海貝)
  • Scallop(扇貝)

Idioms

  • Precious as jade and shells(珠玉寶貝)
  • Shells and coins(貝貨)
  • Shellfish and pearls(貝珠)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the earliest forms of currency in ancient China, particularly cowrie shells.
  • Shells were considered valuable and were used in ornamentation and ritual objects.
  • Characters containing the 貝 radical often relate to wealth, trade, or value.

FAQ