貝殻
kaigara[ka̠iɡa̠ɾa̠]
The English word 'shell' can be translated into Japanese as 貝殻 (kaigara) or 殻 (kara).
Meaning: hard calcareous or chitinous external covering of many invertebrates (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 貝殻 | kaigara | [ka̠iɡa̠ɾa̠] (narrow) |
| 殻 | kara |
Japanese uses different words for a shell depending on whether you are referring to a seashell or a general hard outer covering. The word 貝 can also be used to mean 'shellfish' or 'mollusk' depending on the context.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 貝殻 is a compound formed by combining 貝, meaning 'shellfish' or 'clam' and 殻, meaning 'shell' or 'husk'.
Which one should you use?
殻 is a general term used for any hard outer covering, such as an eggshell, a nut shell or a coconut shell. In contrast, 貝殻 is specifically used for the shells of mollusks or sea creatures, often translated as 'seashell'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kaigara
Did you know?
- The character 貝 (kai) is used as a radical in many other kanji related to value or trade, such as 買 (to buy) and 貯 (to save).
- When combining 貝 and 殻 to form 貝殻, the pronunciation of the second word shifts from kara to gara due to a linguistic phenomenon called 'rendaku'.
- Japanese has a specific word 貝殻細工 (kaigara-zaiku) for the traditional art of creating ornaments and mosaics from seashells.
Examples in context
- 蛸が、ココナツの殻に隠れている。The octopus is hiding in a coconut shell.This sentence is useful for seeing how 殻 is used for a coconut shell.Tatoeba #11563266 by small_snow, translation #7813019 by sharris123
- 大学の時、自分の殻から抜け出しました。I came out of my shell in college.This sentence demonstrates the metaphorical use of 殻 in the expression 'to come out of one's shell'.Tatoeba #10212318 by small_snow, translation #9700981 by DJ_Saidez
- 私の手から滑り落ちた卵は、殻も黄身も飛び散り見るも無残な姿となった。The egg that slipped from my hand broke, and both the shell and yolk splattered everywhere. It was a pitiful sight.This sentence shows how 殻 refers to an eggshell.Tatoeba #10624187 by small_snow, translation #12977911 by urro
- ビーチで美しい貝殻を集めました。I collected beautiful shells at the beach.
- 海でたくさんの貝が見つかったよ。I found many shells at the sea.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young man and woman are walking along a beach.
- 大翔 Hiroto綺麗な貝殻を見つけたよ。Kirei na kaigara o mitsuketa yo.I found a beautiful shell.
- 美咲 Misaki本当だ、すごく大きいね！Honto da, sugoku ookii ne!Really, it's so big!
- 大翔 Hirotoこの貝殻、形も面白いよ。Kono kaigara, katachi mo omoshiroi yo.This shell has an interesting shape too.
- 美咲 Misaki大切に持ち帰ろうね。Taisetsu ni mochi kaerou ne.Let's take it home carefully.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shell” translations and entries 貝殻, 殻, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 貝殻, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
