貿

音読おんよみ: ボウ

訓読くんよみ: none *

画数かくすう: 12 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 貝(かい)

Meaning

Trade, exchange, commerce. Often used in the context of international trade and business exchange.


  • 貿易ぼうえき — trade (esp. international)
  • 自由貿易じゆうぼうえき — free trade
  • 貿易会社ぼうえきがいしゃ — trading company
  • 貿易赤字ぼうえきあかじ — trade deficit
  • 貿易港ぼうえきこう — trading port

The kanji 貿 combines the radical 貝 (meaning "shell" or "money") and 卯 (a phonetic element). It originally suggested the act of exchanging valuables. Today, it mainly appears in compound words related to global commerce and trade.

日本にほん貿易ぼうえきたよっている。
Japan relies on trade.

貿易会社ぼうえきがいしゃはたらいています。
I work at a trading company.

Most commonly read as ボウ (bou), especially in compound words like 貿易 (ぼうえき). It is not used as a standalone word in daily conversation.

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