shell

Origin & mnemonic

This radical originates from a pictograph of a seashell or oyster shell in oracle-bone and seal script, depicting the two-part hinged form of a bivalve shell.

Mnemonic: Remember the shell radical as two hinged shells closing together.

• 贝bèi🔊

  cowrie

  7 strokes

• 财cái🔊

  money

  7 strokes

• 贡gòng🔊

  to offer tribute

  7 strokes

• 货huò🔊

  goods

  HSK 4

  8 strokes

• 账zhàng🔊

  account

  HSK 6

  8 strokes

• 购gòu🔊

  to buy

  HSK 7

  8 strokes

• 败bài🔊

  to defeat

  HSK 4

  8 strokes

• 贪tān🔊

  to have a voracious desire for

  HSK 7

  8 strokes

• 贩fàn🔊

  to deal in

  8 strokes

• 贤xián🔊

  worthy or virtuous person

  8 strokes

• 责zé🔊

  duty

  8 strokes

• 贫pín🔊

  poor

  8 strokes

• 贬biǎn🔊

  to diminish

  8 strokes

• 贮zhù🔊

  to store

  8 strokes

• 贯guàn🔊

  to pierce through

  8 strokes

• 费fèi🔊

  to cost

  HSK 3

  9 strokes

• 贴tiē🔊

  to stick

  HSK 4

  9 strokes

• 贵guì🔊

  expensive

  HSK 1

  9 strokes

• 贺hè🔊

  to congratulate

  9 strokes

• 贱jiàn🔊

  inexpensive

  HSK 7

  9 strokes

• 负fù🔊

  to bear

  HSK 6

  9 strokes

• 贷dài🔊

  to lend on interest

  9 strokes

• 贞zhēn🔊

  chaste

  9 strokes

• 贠yuán🔊

  old variant of 員|员[yuan2]

  9 strokes

• 贲bēn🔊

  energetic

  9 strokes

• 贳shì🔊

  to borrow

  9 strokes

• 贶kuàng🔊

  to bestow

  9 strokes

• 贸mào🔊

  commerce

  9 strokes

• 贻yí🔊

  to present

  9 strokes

• 贾Jiǎ🔊

  surname Jia

  10 strokes

• 贼zéi🔊

  thief; robber

  HSK 7

  10 strokes

• 贽zhì🔊

  gifts to superiors

  10 strokes

• 贿huì🔊

  (bound form) bribery

  10 strokes

• 赀zī🔊

  to estimate

  10 strokes

• 赁lìn🔊

  to rent

  10 strokes

• 赂lù🔊

  bribe

  10 strokes

• 赃zāng🔊

  stolen goods; loot; spoils

  10 strokes

• 资zī🔊

  resources

  10 strokes

• 赅gāi🔊

  complete

  10 strokes

• 赆jìn🔊

  farewell presents

  10 strokes