貝
marks words about money · Kangxi radical 154
marks words about money, wealth, trade and value, from the cowrie shells once used as currency
貝 began as a picture of a cowrie shell: an oval body with the slit and ribbed markings drawn inside it, and two little points sticking out at the bottom where the shell's edges flare open. In the modern square form the shell's body has flattened into the 目-like box on top, its internal lines becoming the two crossbars, while the pair of small strokes underneath are the flared bottom edges. Because such shells were strung together and used as money, 貝 came to sit in characters for coin, cost, buying and selling, and riches rather than for shells themselves.
貝 at a glance
- Meaning
- marks words about money
- Strokes
- 7
- Characters
- 71
- Role
- Contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 154
Characters with 貝 (1 of 71)
Beyond HSK · 1
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 貝 mean?
貝 means "marks words about money". In the characters that contain it, it contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 貝?
71 characters in this dictionary contain 貝.
Is 貝 a radical?
Yes — 貝 is Kangxi radical 154, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 貝 have?
貝 is written in 7 strokes.