How do you say "clam" in Japanese?

貝

kai

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "clam" is 貝 (kai).

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Pronunciation

貝 is written using kanji. Romanised as kai, it sounds roughly like "kah-ee" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Kai is a single kanji 貝 representing shellfish. This character often appears as a component in words about shells and treasures.

Example sentence

貝はどこにありますか？

Kai wa doko ni arimasu ka?

Where is the clam?

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How to remember 貝

The kanji 貝 looks like a shell with ridges. Picture a clam shell opening.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more beach words.

Questions about 貝

How do you pronounce 貝?

貝 is romanised as kai. Say it roughly like "kah-ee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 貝 formal or casual?

貝 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 貝 written in Japanese?

貝 is written using kanji. Kai is a single kanji 貝 representing shellfish.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Clam" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

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