How to say 'Shellfish' in Japanese | 貝

Wondering how to say 'Shellfish' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Shellfish is 'Kai', written as 貝 in Japanese.'Shellfish' in hiragana is かい.

word

貝

Meaning

Shellfish

Reading

かい

kai

Kanji

貝Shellfish

Explanation

The Japanese noun '貝 (かい)' refers to 'shellfish', a broad category of aquatic creatures with shells, such as clams, oysters, and scallops. This word is commonly used in contexts related to seafood, marine biology, or even in idiomatic expressions. For example: I found a beautiful shellfish on the beach「浜辺で美しい貝を見つけた」(はまべでうつくしいかいをみつけた). Shellfish are delicious「貝は美味しい」(かいはおいしい). In some cases, '貝' can also refer to the shells themselves, especially when discussing their use in crafts or decorations.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

6089

Composition

kanji

Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 貝

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

貝

Meaning

Shellfish

Learn the Word 貝

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Kai' (貝) mean?

'Kai' means 'Shellfish' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.