Translation guide
In Japanese, 'whitebait' refers to small, young fish eaten whole, typically translated as しらす (shirasu) when raw or semi-dried, or ちりめんじゃこ (chirimenjako) when dried. The term can also refer to similar small fish used as bait or in cooking.
The most common meaning: tiny, translucent young fish, often served raw over rice or used in dishes.
General term for raw or semi-dried whitebait. Commonly eaten as しらす丼 (shirasu-don) or mixed with rice.
I had a shirasu rice bowl for breakfast.
Boiled shirasu, slightly firmer and less translucent. Often sold in packs and used as a topping.
I put boiled shirasu on tofu.
Dried whitebait, often slightly salty and crunchy, used in salads, rice balls, or as a snack.
Live or dead small fish used for fishing bait.
In English, 'whitebait' can refer to various small fish species. In Japanese, specify the type if known.
If you know the exact species (e.g., smelt, anchovy), use the Japanese name: ワカサギ (wakasagi) for smelt, カタクチイワシ (katakuchi-iwashi) for anchovy.
I like smelt tempura.
A generic term for small, mixed, or insignificant fish. Can sound dismissive.
しらす (shirasu) is raw or boiled young sardines, soft and moist. ちりめんじゃこ (chirimenjako) is dried, firmer, and saltier. In Kanto, しらす干し (shirasuboshi) is the dried version; in Kansai, ちりめんじゃこ is standard. When in doubt, しらす is widely understood.
Shirasu is eaten raw, but chirimenjako is dried.
The English word 'whitebait' is not commonly used in Japanese. Use the appropriate Japanese term based on preparation (raw, boiled, dried) or context (bait, species).
'Whitebait' won't be understood, so use shirasu or chirimenjako.
しらす干しはそのまま食べられる。
Dried shirasu can be eaten as is.
I put the live bait fish in a bucket.
A lot of small fry got caught in the net.