Japanese ivory shell; Japanese Babylon
A type of whelk or sea snail, often used in Japanese cuisine. The name refers to the shell's ivory-like appearance.
See also: バイ
Grilled Japanese ivory shell is a great snack with sake.
I bought fresh Japanese Babylon shells at the market.
Standard kanji-katakana spelling for this shellfish.
Hiragana-katakana variant; less common but still encountered.
The name バイ貝 combines the katakana バイ (from the English 'ivory' or possibly from the Latin 'Babylon') with the kanji 貝 (shell). The exact origin of バイ is uncertain, but it is used for several species of whelks.