貝 (bèi) is a Chinese character that means "shell" or "shellfish." It is often used to refer to various types of mollusks, such as clams, oysters, and snails. In ancient China, shells were also used as currency, known as "貝幣" (bèi bì), which played a significant role in trade. In addition to its literal meaning, 貝 is a radical in Chinese characters, indicating a connection to money or valuables. Many characters related to wealth or trade, such as 貨 (huò, meaning "goods") and 賺 (zhuàn, meaning "to earn"), include this radical, highlighting the importance of shells in historical commerce.