Left radical
贝 (cowrie shell) is the simplified form of
貝, used as the indexing radical for chars about money, value, and trade — cowrie shells were the earliest Chinese currency. Anchors
贱 to economic worth: literally 'low-cost shells', i.e. cheap, worthless, by extension 'lowly, despicable'. Same radical groups
贱 with
贵 (expensive),
贾 (merchant),
财 (wealth),
贫 (poor).
