餌

• Reading: えさ
• Romaji: esa
• Kanji breakdown: 餌 (ji/esa) — feed, bait
• Pronunciation: /e.sa/

Meaning

Feed; bait; food given to animals. Also used figuratively as a lure or enticement.

A noun referring to food for animals, fish bait, or figuratively something used to tempt someone. Common collocations include 餌をやる (to feed an animal), 餌をまく (to scatter bait), and 餌にする (to use as bait). The kanji form 餌 is standard, though えさ in hiragana is also seen.

Examples

1. 毎朝猫に餌をやるのが日課だ。 Feeding the cat every morning is part of my daily routine.
2. 釣りに行くので餌を買ってきた。 I bought some bait since I'm going fishing.
3. 動物園では決まった時間に餌を与える。 At the zoo, they feed the animals at set times.

Usage Guide

Context: pets, fishing, animals

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 餌 combines 食 (food) and 耳 (ear), where 耳 serves as a phonetic component. Originally referred to any food or provisions, later narrowing to mean animal feed or bait.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal