二枚貝

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Spelling: 二枚貝. Reading: にまいがい. Core meaning: bivalve; two-shelled mollusk.
• Basic usage: Representative examples: 図鑑で海辺にすむ二枚貝を調べた / 博物館には大きな二枚貝の標本が展示されている.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Taxonomic name versus a count
  • 二枚貝 is a category name for mollusks with two shells. It does not mean two individual shellfish; the number of specimens requires a separate counting expression.