186) 贝

bei

shell

The body () of shellfish is sticking out from its shell (冂). Purple-colored shellfish (贝) back in Yin (殷) and Jiu(周) Dynasties were used as currency

186a) 负

fu

bear

person ⺈⁶⁸[rén] + currency/shell 贝 [bèi]

Symbolizes a person (⺈) bearing a sack of money (贝) on his back. 

186bx) 朿 / 棘

ci / ji

thorn;

spine, thorn

186b) 责

ze

blame

thorn [image]→朿 [cì] + currency/shell 贝 [bèi]

186c) 绩

ji

merit; twist hempen thread

thread 纟¹³²[sī] + blame 责 [zé]

Represents the entire process of knitting a cloth by spun threads (纟). Cloth was traded as valuable material and was used to pay tax or debt in place of certain responsibilities (责)

186d) 贵

gui

expensive; precious

holding tight with two hands  [symbol] + currency/shell 贝 [bèi]

Symbolizes grabbing of a precious, high-priced (贝) item with two hands (symbol).

186e) 贯

guan

penetrate;

pass through

thread 毌 [guàn] + currency/shell 贝 [bèi]

Signifies a bundle of coins (贝) created by passing through (毌) a piece of thread through the hole in the middle.

186fx) 忄

xin

186f) 惯

guan

be used to

heart 忄=心²⁸[xīn] + pass through 贯 [guàn]

A habit is an action which someone does without thinking, thus from the heart (忄), by being used to do a same action for a long period of time; i.e putting many coins into one bundle by passing through (贯) strings in each one of them.

186x) 鼎

ding

186gx) 攵

pu

186g) 败

bai

defeat

shell 贝 [bèi] → pot 鼎 [dǐng] + strike 攵⁵⁰[pū]

In the ancient China, pots with decorated feet were used as a symbol of royals that was used in special ceremonies. When defeated in war, enemies would destroy such pots (鼎) with heavy maces (攵).

186h) 员

yuan

member

mouth 口¹⁶[kǒu] + shell 贝 [bèi] → pot 鼎 [dǐng]

Used to signify circle from the shape of the mouth (口) in a pot (鼎). Now became to mean a member (as in “someone inside the circle(员)”)

186i) 圆

yuan

round, circle

enclose 囗²⁰[wéi] + member 员 [yuán]

When “员[yuán]” became to mean a member or a person in a group, an encirclement “囗” is added to restore the meaning of circle or round.