鮭
salmon
Readings
On'yomi
- カイ
- ケイ
Kun'yomi
- さけ
- しゃけ
- ふぐ
Meaning
鮭 centers on the fish salmon, a specific type of fish commonly eaten in Japan.
Most common words using 鮭
- 鮭さけ
salmon (Salmonidae spp.)
- 鮭児けいじ
keiji; juvenile chum salmon
- 紅鮭べにざけ
sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka); red salmon
- 塩鮭しおざけ
salted salmon
- 乾鮭からざけ
dried salted salmon
- 大西洋鮭たいせいようさけ
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salmar)
- 時鮭ときしらず
summer-catch salmon
- 江鮭あめのうお
biwa trout (Oncorhynchus masou rhodurus); biwa salmon
- 焼き鮭やきしゃけ
grilled salmon
- 燻鮭いぶしざけ
smoked salmon; lox
- 生鮭なまざけ
fresh salmon; unsalted salmon
- 白鮭しろざけ
chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
- 銀鮭ぎんざけ
coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutsh); silver salmon
- 鮭とばさけとば
salmon jerky; dried salmon; cured salmon
- 鮭漁さけりょう
salmon fishing
- 鮭缶さけかん
canned salmon; tinned salmon
- 鮭茶漬けさけちゃづけ
chazuke with salmon
Study
Etymology
鮭 combines 魚 (fish) with 圭, which likely contributes the sound. The character specifically denotes salmon.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is a fish 魚, and the right side 圭 looks like stacked earth 土. Imagine salmon swimming upstream, leaping over earthen dams to spawn.
Reading mnemonic
For カイ, picture a salmon leaping out of the water and shouting 'Kai!' as it flies through the air: Kai -> カイ.