鯨
whale
Readings
On'yomi
- ゲイ
Kun'yomi
- くじら
Meaning
鯨 centers on the whale, a large marine mammal. The meaning is straightforward and specific to this animal.
Most common words using 鯨
20 of 75- 鯨くじらN1
whale (Cetacea spp.)
- 捕鯨ほげいN1
whaling; whale hunting; whale fishing
- 長須鯨ながすくじら
fin whale; finback (whale); razorback whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
- ミンク鯨ミンクくじら
minke whale; piked whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
- 抹香鯨まっこうくじら
sperm whale
- 鯨油げいゆ
whale oil
- 鯨肉げいにく
whale meat
- くろみんく鯨くろみんくくじら
Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis); southern minke whale
- タスマニア鯨タスマニアくじら
Shepherd's beaked whale (Tasmacetus shepherdi)
- ニタリ鯨にたりくじら
Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei)
- ハッブス扇歯鯨ハッブスおうぎはくじら
Hubb's beaked whale (Mesoplodon carlshubbi)
- バハモンド扇歯鯨バハモンドおうぎはくじら
spade-toothed whale (Mesoplodon traversii); Bahamonde's beaked whale
- ピグミー扇歯鯨ピグミーおうぎはくじら
pygmy beaked whale (Mesoplodon peruvianus); Peruvian beaked whale; lesser beaked whale
- ペリン扇歯鯨ペリンおうぎはくじら
Perrin's beaked whale (Mesoplodon perrini)
- ヨーロッパ扇歯鯨ヨーロッパおうぎはくじら
Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens); North Atlantic beaked whale; North Sea beaked whale
- 五島鯨ごとうくじら
larger whales of family Delphinidae (esp. the pilot whale or blackfish)
- 北極鯨ほっきょくくじら
bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus); Greenland right whale
- 南扇歯鯨みなみおうぎはくじら
Gray's beaked whale (Mesoplodon grayi)
- 南槌鯨みなみつちくじら
Arnoux's beaked whale (Berardius arnuxii)
- 南背美鯨みなみせみくじら
southern right whale (Eubalaena australis)
Study
Etymology
鯨 combines 魚 (fish) with 京, which likely contributes the sound. The character classifies the whale as a type of fish, reflecting traditional categorization.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is 魚 (fish), and the right side 京 looks like a tall, grand creature. Picture a whale as the grandest fish in the ocean, towering over all others.
Reading mnemonic
For ゲイ, imagine a whale giving a loud, resonant call that sounds like 'gay' echoing through the water: gay -> ゲイ, and the whale's song fills the sea.