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Kotomora

鯨

whale

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes19

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)

Explore all words using 鯨 →

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.