貝 — “shellfish / shell” in Japanese

Grade 1かい

Radical ⾙ · radical 154 The building block this kanji is filed under

“shellfish / shell” in Japanese is 貝, read kai (かい). It is a Grade 1 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 1 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 貝がら (seashell).

Try it now

What does 貝 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	貝
Meaning	shellfish / shell
Readings	かい
Grade	Grade 1 (Easiest)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	貝がら (seashell)

How to read 貝

貝 is read kai (かい) depending on the word.

Words with 貝

貝塚
貝殻
貝がらshellfish / shell

Learn 貝 in real sentences — free

Read stories and news built from only the kanji you already know. KanjiSchool’s path covers all 2,136 Jōyō kanji — 1,018 ready to learn now.

Start free — no credit card →

Kanji read the same way as 貝

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Read this character in a real sentence

🏝️ Ogasawara Islands: the part of Tokyo that takes 24 hours by boat and has no airport Grade 1

Updated: 2026-08-28