贝
bèi
Money used to be shells — and the shell is still in the characters
The picture A handful of cowrie shells strung on a cord and held in the hand — that is the money. 贝 is money moving; 钅 (金) is metal hammered into things.
Where the picture shows up in 贝
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more shells have to go on
这件衣服太贵了。
zhè jiàn yīfu tài guì le
This jacket is far too expensive.
A coat on one scale pan, shells heaped onto the other until it barely tips
贝 is laid across the bottom of 贵.
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shells that vanish once handed over
水电费交了吗？
shuǐdiànfèi jiāo le ma
Have the water and power bills been paid?
Shells pushed through a counter window and gone for good on the other side
费 is money spent away: 学费, 手续费.
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what trades for shells
订的货还没到。
dìng de huò hái méi dào
The goods I ordered still haven't come.
Shells crossing one way while a crate crosses the other
货 is goods exchanged for money — 货物 and 送货 come from it.
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shells that multiply and stay
他想多赚点钱。
tā xiǎng duō zhuàn diǎn qián
He wants to earn a bit more.
After the work is done, a few more shells left stacked in the palm
The left half of 赚 is 贝.
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shells pushed out to pull goods in
网上购物很方便。
wǎngshàng gòuwù hěn fāngbiàn
Buying online is very convenient.
Shells pushed forward and the goods on the far side sliding toward you
购 is the formal word for purchase: 购物, 采购.
All of it in one picture
贝 is the cowrie shell people once spent as money. If you have to pile on more shells, it is expensive; once the shells are handed over they are gone, so it is a fee. What can be swapped for shells is goods; shells that multiply and stay in your hand is earning; shells pushed forward to pull something back is purchasing. So when you spot 贝 in a character, read it as: money is moving here.