殻
husk, nut shell
Readings
On'yomi
- カク
- コク
- バイ
Kun'yomi
- から
- がら
Meaning
殻 centers on a hard outer covering that encloses and protects something inside: a husk, shell, or similar casing.
Most common words using 殻
20 of 69- 殻からN2
shell; husk; hull; pod; chaff
- 貝殻かいがらN1
seashell; shell
- 地殻ちかく
(Earth's) crust
- 抜け殻ぬけがら
cast-off skin (snake, insect, etc.); husk; empty shell; exuvia; exuviae
- 甲殻こうかく
carapace; shell; crust
- 吸い殻すいがらN1
cigarette end; cigarette butt; tobacco ashes
- もぬけの殻もぬけのから
completely empty (of a residence, etc.); vacant; deserted
- 卵殻らんかく
eggshell
- 籾殻もみがら
rice husks; chaff
- 紅殻べにがら
red iron oxide; red ocher
- 貝殻虫かいがらむし
scale insect
- 地殻変動ちかくへんどう
diastrophism (movement and deformation of the earth's crust)
- イセリア介殻虫イセリアかいがらむし
cottony cushion scale (species of scale insect, Icerya purchasi)
- カニ殻カニがら
crab shell (often ground or crushed and used as fertilizer); crab shell meal
- ヤシ殻ヤシかく
coconut shell
- 介殻かいかく
sea shell
- 出し殻だしがら
grounds (of tea and coffee)
- 出殻でがら
grounds (of tea and coffee)
- 割殻われから
skeleton shrimp (Caprella mutica); spectre shrimp; specter shrimp
- 卵の殻たまごのから
eggshell
Study
Etymology
殻 combines 壳 (which historically relates to a hard outer covering) with 殳 (a hand holding a tool), suggesting the action of striking or removing a husk or shell.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 壳 looks like a hard shell covering something, and the right side 殳 shows a hand with a tool, as if cracking open a nut to get the kernel inside.
Reading mnemonic
For カク, imagine cracking a nut shell with a sharp 'crack' sound: crack -> カク, and the husk splits open.