Kanji N2

貝: shellfish

貝 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning shellfish, written with 7 strokes. It is read バイ (on) and かい (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 1. You will see it in 貝 (かい, shellfish) and 貝殻 (かいがら, seashell).

貝

Meanings

  • shellfish
Strokes7
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 1
Frequency#1787 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • バイ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • かい

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

12345670 / 7

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 7. Start at the dot.

Common words with 貝

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 貝かい

    shellfish

    JLPT N2
  • 貝殻かいがら

    seashell; shell

    JLPT N1
  • 貝塚かいづか

    shell heap; shell mound; kitchen midden

  • 巻き貝まきがい

    snail; spiral shell

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY.