The Chinese Radical: 贝


Hanzi-Trainer
Search:
 
Meaning
shell, money    贝

Explanation

Used in these characters:
HSK 2
member, person, employee
yuán
Top: mouth 口, bottom: shell/money 贝/貝 (貝 = cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 = shell-money)
If you have a mouth and money, you can become a member.  
HSK 2
precious, expensive, noble, your (name)
guì
Top: simplification of blooming flower 堇 with two blossoms ロ at a stem丨 growing from the ground 一, bottom: currency/shell 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 = shell money)
Blooming flowers and money are precious.  
HSK 3
competition, match, to surpass, to excel sb.
sài
From top: roof 宀, a well 井 and table (or variant of together: 共), Money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八= shell-money)
Under the roof we (fight) together 共 'doubly 二' for money: in a competition.  
HSK 3
accustomed to, used to, indulge, to spoil (a child)
guàn
Left: feeling 忄, right: to pierce 贯 (Mother's 母 money 贝 is pierced.)
My feelings are pierced, but I get accustomed to it.  
HSK 4
expenses, costs, spending, fee
fèi
Top: not, negation 弗 (A bow 弓 with two strings || is to be denied.), below: money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 as shell-money)
The negation (= the opposite) of my money are my: expenses.  
HSK 4
goods, commodity, products
huò
Top: change 化 (From a standing 亻 to a sitting 匕 person is a change.), bottom: money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 = shell-money)
Change money versus goods and commodities.  
HSK 4
be defeated, to defeat, loss
bài
Left: money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 as shell-money), right: strike 攵/攴 (a hand with a stick)
When the money/capital hits, we are defeated.  
HSK 4
responsibility, duty, to reproach, to blame

Top: growing plant /丰, below: shell/money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 as shell-money)
Growing plants and money mean responsibility.  
HSK 4
rule, standard, norm, principle

Left: money 贝/貝 (cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 as shell-money), right: knife, to cut 刂 (here: to divide)
Money [= the capital] and knives [= violence] determine the rules and standards. Or: The money 贝 is divided 刂 according to rules.  
HSK 4
to purchase, to buy
gòu
Left: money 贝/貝 (here: credit card 人 and card reader 冂), right: to hook in 勾 (two hooks 勹, 厶 for the engagement with the card reader)
The credit card is hooked into the reader when purchasing.  
HSK 4
character, nature, pawn, pledge
zhì
Outside: cliff 厂, inside: ten 十, shell, money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 = shell-money)
At the cliff the ten shells have the (same) character and serve as a pawn.  
HSK 4
to congratulate

Top: add 加 (For getting power 力 your mouth 口 needs sth. to be 'added' [=to eat]), bottom: money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 as shell-money)
You should add money to the congratulations.  
HSK 4
to bear, load, to carry (on one's back), negative (math. etc)

A person bending ⺈ down, below: money 贝/貝 (here: a load ⺈, backpack or joke 冂, person 人, cf. center 央)
The bent person with a backpack 冂 bears a load.  
HSK 4
to win, gain, to beat, to profit
yíng
From top: 亡 (coffin in cross-section), mouth: 口, body 月, money 贝, usually 凡 [A table 机/几 with a scratch 丶 is common.]
If your coffin is as small as a mouth and your body pays money for it, then (the seller) usually makes: a profit.  
HSK 4
to make a profit, to earn
zhuàn, zuàn
Left: money 贝/貝, right: double, combined 兼 (a hand /ヨ holds two rice plants 禾 combined.)
"Compound interest effect": Money makes combined more profit.  
HSK 4
capital, resources, to provide, money

Top: next 次 (ice 冫lacks 欠, what comes next? [欠 = The yawning person 人 has a lack [of manners]), bottom: money 贝/貝 (= cone-shell 目 with two feelers 八 as shell-money)
The next money will be added to the capital.  
HSK 5
to praise, endorse, support, patronize
zàn
Top: 兟=2x in advance, first 先 (A cow 牛 with only two legs 儿 walks preceding.), bottom: money 贝/貝
Foremost use money payments to: praise and endorse.  
HSK 5
to bestow (a reward), to give (to an inferior), to hand down
shǎng
Top: esteem, to value 尚 (A small 小 house 宀 with a window 口 is furthermore esteemed.), below: money 贝/貝, better: crown and member 员/員
The crown is given to the member 员 as a reward. Or: 尚 as the hand's palm with three fingers: Into the hand he got the money as reward.  
HSK 5
to stick, to paste, sticker
tiē
Left: shell/money 贝/貝, right: fortune telling 占 (crack 卜 in the shell 口 of a turtle from which the fortune was told.)
Money from fortune telling has sth. sticky.  
HSK 5
to offer tribute, contribute, gifts
gòng
Top: work 工, bottom: money 贝/貝
Either with work or money you have to pay your tribute.  
HSK 5
to lock up, to lock
suǒ
Left: metal 钅/金, right: small 小 & money 贝
It's made of metal to lock-up your small change: The lock.  
HSK 5
to borrow, loan, credit, to make excuses
dài
Top: generation 代 (The person 亻 passes on a saber 弋 to the next generation.), bottom: money 贝/貝
Since generations you have money, borrow me sth.  
HSK 5
to spout, to spray, to spurt, to puff
pēn, pèn
Left: mouth 口, right: 贲 (grasses/thirty 卉, money 贝)
The mouth spouts 30x money.  
HSK 5
to suffer a financial loss, indemnify
péi
Left: money 贝/貝, right: spit 咅 (stand 立 with open mouth 口 and spit)
The money is like spit out, I suffered a loss.  
HSK 5
bill, account, debt
zhàng
Left: money 贝/貝, right: long 长/長 (Long mane in the wind of a galloping horse)
It's related to money and it can be long: The bill!  
HSK 5
trade, commerce
mào
Top left: bend , right: sword 刀, below: shell/money 贝/貝
Bent under the sword and the money is the trade.  
HSK 5
cowrie, shellfish, shell money
bèi

Derived from the image of a shell 貝 with two antennas.  
HSK 5
wealth, money, riches, property, valuables
cái
Left: shell/money 贝/貝, right: talent 才 (If the big man 大 balances on one foot, he is talented.)
With money and talent you create wealth.  
HSK 6
greedy, avaricious, corrupt, have desire for
tān
Top: now 今 (Put the cover into the corner フ Now!), bottom: money贝/貝
Who now wants all the money, is: greedy.  
HSK 6
to pierce through, to pass through
guàn
Top: not 毋 (here: variant of mother 母), bottom: money 贝
Mother's money is pierced.  
HSK 6
worthy or virtuous person, honorific
xián
Top: knife 刂 in a hand 又, bottom: money 贝
Whoever with a knife in his hand shares money (with others), is a worthy person.  
HSK 6
thief, traitor, wily, deceitful, evil
zéi
Left: money 贝/貝, right: military 戎 (Ten 十 halberds 戈 for the military.)
Whoever takes money by force (=military-like) is a thief.  
HSK 6
to gamble, to bet

Left: money 贝, right: person 者 (old man 耂 on the sun 日)
The money is also used by the persons for gambling.  
HSK 6
infant, baby
yīng
Top: 2x money 贝 (here: nipple 人 in a sucking mouth 冂), bottom: woman 女
Sucking mouths at the woman's nipples indicate infants/babies.  
HSK 6
to give as a present, to repel, to bestow (title)
zèng
Left: shell/money 贝, right: formerly 曾 (=曽, At rain 丷 on the field 田 as under the sun 日, that's how we worked formerly.)
Money was formerly given as present.  
HSK 6
poor, inadequate, deficient, garrulous
pín
Top: to divide, part 分 (... with the sword 刀 in 8 八 pieces), bottom: money 贝
If you have only a part of the money, you are poor.  
HSK 6
to depend on, to trust, to renege, to blame
lài
left: bundle 束, right: carry load 负 (With a load ⺈ at the backpack 冂 the person 人 bears a load)
The bundle needs sb. to carry the load: That's what it is depending on.  
HSK 6
the side, lateral, inclined
cè, zè, zhāi
Left: person 亻, right: standard/rule 则 (money 贝 is cut/split 刂 by rules)
The person observing the rules (=referee) stands at the side (of the play ground).  
HSK 6
to retail, to buy and sell, to trade in, to peddle
fàn
Left: money 贝/貝, right: contrary, to oppose 反 (Climbing the cliff 厂 by hand 又? I am opposing)
When you use your money "contrary", then at "buy and sell" in retail.  
HSK 6
anger, furious, resentment, indignant
fèn
Left: feeling 忄, right: 贲 (grasses or thirty 卉 and money 贝)
The feeling of paying thirty-fold money for these grasses is anger and indignation.  
HSK 6
to diminish, reduce, devaluate, depreciate, censure
biǎn
Left: money 贝/貝, right: short of, lack 乏 (person 人 and 'Z' [A person going zigzag lacking sth.])
If money is lacking, it is diminished.  
贿
HSK 6
bribe, bribery
huì
Left: money 贝/貝, right: have/exist 有 (I have hand and body 月, thus I am existing.)
If I want the money having/existing for me, is becomes a bribery.  
HSK 6
dike, dam, embankment

Left: earth 土, right: money 贝/貝
You need earth and money for a dike.  
HSK 6
greasy, unctuous, intimate, tired of

Left: body part 月/肉, right: two (anti-fraud) 贰 (Two 二 sabers 弋 and the money 贝 become an anti-fraud two.)
For the body I received two sabers and money because it was so greasy.  
HSK 6
splash, spatter, spill
jiàn
Left: water 氵, right: inexpensive 贱 (If you only have money 贝 for two halberds 戋, you live inexpensive)
The water is such inexpensive, that you can splash it.  
HSK 6
wretched, in a difficult situation, distressed
bèi
Left: wild animal 犭(dog on the hind legs), right: money 贝/貝
Even a wild animal needs money or it is wretched.  
HSK 6
to rent, to lease, to hire
lìn
Top: official duty 任 (A person 亻 as a scolar 士 with hat ノ has official duties.), bottom: money 贝
It can be an official duty to use money for renting sth.  
HSK 6
bribery, bribe

Left: 贝, right: every 各 (Sitting cross-legged 夂 on a cushion 口 does everybody)
Money, that everybody (accepts) is bribery.  
HSK 6
taxation, bestow on, endow with, poetic essay

Left: money 贝/貝, right: military 武 (correct 正 sabers 弋 for the military)
The money for the military are the: taxes.  
HSK 6
to bring together, collect, hoard, accumulate, save
cuán, zǎn
Left: hand 扌, right: to praise, endorse 赞 (Foremost 先先 with money 贝 payments, one can praise and endorse.)
That hand is praised, that brings together.  
no HSK
faithful, loyal, dependable, chaste
zhēn
Top: fortune telling 卜 (crack in a turtle's shell, used for divining), bottom: money 贝
Who divines for money must be faithful.  
no HSK
merchant, to buy
gǔ, jiǎ
西
Top: west 西 (sun moves 儿 below the horizon 一 at sunset in the west), bottom: money 贝/貝
A bag (= 西) with a handle (= 一) from the west and money has the: merchant.  
no HSK
cherry
yīng
Left: tree 木, right: infant, baby 婴 (Sucking mouths 冂 at the nipples 人 of the woman 女 indicate infants/babies - Here: 贝 as hanging cherries
The tree with hanging cherries for the woman is: the cherry.  
no HSK
to store, to save, stockpile
zhù
Left: money 贝/貝, right: roof 宀 and one 一
We need money, because under the roof a stockpile shall be stored.  
no HSK
trifling, fragmentary
suǒ
Left: king 王, right: small 小, money 贝/貝
For a king is small change trifling.  
no HSK
redeem, to ransom
shú
Left: money 贝, right: to sell 卖 (For ten 十 [coins] the hat 乛 of the leader 头 is sold) - [leader 头 = The big 大 one with protruding eyes 丶]
To use money for 'selling' means to redeem.  
no HSK
to confer, to bestow, to grant

Left: money 贝/貝, right: easy 易 (= warming sunshine)
With money, it is easy that you are confered (allowed) something.  
no HSK
stolen goods, booty, spoils, loot
zāng
Left: money 贝/貝, right: farmstead 庄 (A building 广 with the earth 土)
The money, that (is hidden) in a building under the earth, is a stolen good.  
no HSK
abbr. for Jiangxi 江西 province
gàn
Left: medal 章 (Get up 立 early 早 to get a medal.), right: sitting cross-legged 夂 work 工, money 贝/貝
You get a medal for sitting at the work and money in: Jiangxi.  
no HSK
inexpensive, low, lowly
jiàn
Left: money 贝/貝, right: 戋 (two 二 halberds 戈)
If you only have money for two halberds, you live inexpensive and are low.  
no HSK
parrot
yīng
Left: infant, baby 婴 (Sucking mouths 冂 at the nipples 人 of the woman 女 indicate infants/babies), right: bird 鸟
Like an infant (talks) this bird: the parrot.  
no HSK
to hand down, to bequeath

Left: money 贝/貝, right: platform, rack 台 (nose 厶 over the mouth 口)
Money is the platform (= means for transfer) for: handing over.  
no HSK
superfluous, redundant, cumbersome
zhuì
Top: to ramble 敖 (The growing plant would grow in all directions 方 and needs the 攵 [= stick 卜 in a hand 又] against rambling.), bottom: money 贝/貝
Rampling money is superfluous.  
no HSK
persist, continue (as a song)
gēng
广
Top: age, 7th Heavenly Stems 庚 (In the building 广 a hand grasps a person 人 with the question of: his age), bottom: money 贝/貝
If there are in the building three working (=they have hands) people with money, they can stay/persist (=continue)  
no HSK
barium (chemistry)
bèi
Left: metal 钅/金, right: money 贝/貝
Metal with the pronunciation 'bèi' as used at 'money' is: barium.  
no HSK
two (banker's anti-fraud numeral), to betray
èr
Top: two 二, saber 弋, bottom: money 贝
Two sabers and the money becomes an anti-fraud two. [1 to10 are: 壹贰叁肆伍陆柒捌玖拾]  
no HSK
to support, provide for
shàn
Left: money 贝/貝, right: excellent, verbose 詹 (Who, when looking upwards 厃, is using eight 八 words 言, is verbose.)
Money is excellent when used for: supporting.  
no HSK
particle indicating necessity or obviousness
bài
Left: mouth 口, right: money 贝/貝
The mouth says it for money: That is obvious.  

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.




List of the characters | List of the radicals
Get the app of the Hanzi-Trainer!

The app has many other functions, such as character selection according to difficulty, practice programs, handwriting recognition and success statistics!

To the Trainer