Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

ビワヒガイ (びわひがい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ビワヒガイ

Meanings

1

noun

Biwa oily gudgeon

usually written using kana alone

A freshwater fish (Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus) endemic to Lake Biwa, Japan. Scientific or field-guide term; not an everyday word.

ビワヒガイは琵び琶わ湖こだけに生せい息そくする淡たん水すい魚ぎょです。
The Biwa oily gudgeon is a freshwater fish that lives only in Lake Biwa.

Written forms

ビワヒガイ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is the most common written form for this fish name.
琵び琶わ鰉ひがい
Kanji spelling is rare and mostly found in specialized contexts; the word is usually written in kana.

Kanji

琵glissando on strings, lute
琶lute
鰉

sturgeon

Etymology

Named after Lake Biwa (琵琶湖) and the Japanese word ひがい (oily gudgeon). The exact derivation is straightforward; the kanji 琵琶鰉 are ateji based on the lake name and fish type.