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.

• 赏shǎng🔊

  to bestow (a reward)

  HSK 4

  12 strokes

• 贰èr🔊

  two (banker's anti-fraud numeral)

  12 strokes

• 赎shú🔊

  to redeem

  HSK 7

  12 strokes

• 赋fù🔊

  poetic essay

  12 strokes

• 赍jī🔊

  (literary) to harbor (a feeling)

  12 strokes

• 赑bì🔊

  used in 贔屭|赑屃[bi4 xi4]

  12 strokes

• 赒zhōu🔊

  to give to the needy

  12 strokes

• 赕dǎn🔊

  (old barbarian dialects) to pay a fine in atonement

  12 strokes

• 赖lài🔊

  variant of 賴|赖[lai4]

  HSK 6

  13 strokes

• 賌gāi🔊

  old variant of 賅|赅[gai1]

  13 strokes

• 赗fèng🔊

  (literary) gift (of money etc) to a bereaved family

  13 strokes

• 赚zhuàn🔊

  to earn

  HSK 6

  14 strokes

• 赛sài🔊

  to compete

  HSK 6

  14 strokes

• 宾bīn🔊

  visitor

  14 strokes

• 賏yìng🔊

  pearls or shells strung together

  14 strokes

• 赘zhuì🔊

  (bound form) superfluous

  14 strokes

• 赙fù🔊

  to contribute to funeral expenses

  14 strokes

• 卖mài🔊

  to sell

  HSK 2

  15 strokes

• 质zhì🔊

  character

  15 strokes

• 赓gēng🔊

  (literary) to continue; to carry on

  15 strokes

• 赞zàn🔊

  variant of 讚|赞[zan4]

  16 strokes

• 赝yàn🔊

  variant of 贗|赝[yan4]

  16 strokes

• 赟yūn🔊

  good appearance

  16 strokes

• 赠zèng🔊

  to give as a present

  HSK 5

  16 strokes

• 赢yíng🔊

  to beat

  HSK 3

  17 strokes

• 赡shàn🔊

  to support

  17 strokes

• 赜zé🔊

  mysterious

  18 strokes

• 赣Gàn🔊

  variant of 贛|赣[Gan4]

  21 strokes