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ニゴロブナ (にごろぶな) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ニゴロブナ

Meanings

1

noun

Nigoro-buna; Carassius auratus grandoculis

usually written using kana alone

A subspecies of goldfish native to Lake Biwa, Japan. Important in local fisheries and used to make funazushi.

ニゴロブナは琵び琶わ湖この固こ有ゆう種しゅです。
The Nigoro-buna is a species endemic to Lake Biwa.
この鮒ふな寿ず司しはニゴロブナで作つくられています。
This funazushi is made with Nigoro-buna.

Written forms

ニゴロブナUsage91%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common for this fish name; usually written in kana.
煮に頃ごろ鮒ぶなUsage9%
Ateji kanji spelling; rarely used.
似に五ご郎ろ鮒ぶな
Ateji kanji spelling; rarely used.

Kanji

煮boil, cook

頃time, about, toward

鮒carp

似becoming, resemble, counterfeit

五five

郎son, counter for sons

Similar words

鮒ふな
Generic term for crucian carp; ニゴロブナ is a specific subspecies.
鮒ふな寿ず司し
A traditional fermented sushi made with crucian carp, often using ニゴロブナ.

Etymology

The name likely derives from the local name in Shiga Prefecture, possibly related to its appearance or habitat. The kanji 煮頃鮒 and 似五郎鮒 are ateji and do not reflect the etymology.