魚

• Reading: さかな
• Romaji: sakana
• Kanji breakdown: 魚 (gyo/sakana/uo) — fish
• Pronunciation: /sa.ka.na/

Meaning

Fish. Used for both living fish and fish as food.

Refers to fish in general, whether alive or prepared as food. Japan is one of the largest consumers of seafood in the world, so this word appears constantly in daily life. Common compounds include 魚屋 (fish shop) and 焼き魚 (grilled fish).

Examples

1. 日本人は魚をよく食べます。 Japanese people eat a lot of fish.
2. 今日の魚はとても新鮮です。 Today's fish is very fresh.
3. 猫が魚を見ています。 The cat is watching the fish.

Usage Guide

Context: food, cooking, sushi restaurants

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 魚 is a pictograph of a fish, showing the head, body, and tail. An alternate reading is うお, which is the older native Japanese word.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal