Archaic or literary name for the ayu fish (Plecoglossus altivelis). In modern Japanese, 鮎 (あゆ) is the standard word.
See also: アユ
annual fish
Literal reading of the kanji: a fish that lives for one year. This sense is rare and mostly found in explanatory or poetic contexts.
In classical texts, 年魚 is sometimes used to write 'ayu'.
The characters 年魚 can also represent a fish that completes its life in one year.
Literary or archaic kanji spelling for ayu (sweetfish). In modern Japanese, 鮎 is the standard kanji.
The kanji 年 (year) and 魚 (fish) literally mean 'year fish', referring to the ayu's one-year lifespan. The reading ねんぎょ is the on'yomi of these characters.