also: はりお
Japanese halfbeak; stickleback
Refers to the fish Hemiramphus sajori, a slender, needle-like marine fish. The gloss 'stickleback' is a less precise common name sometimes used for similar-looking fish, but the primary identification is Japanese halfbeak.
Japanese halfbeak is a fish in season in spring.
市場で新鮮なサヨリを買った。
I bought fresh Japanese halfbeak at the market.
Usually written in katakana as a fish name; usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Alternate kanji spelling using 細 (thin); rare.
Kanji spelling using 針 (needle) for the fish's shape; rare in modern use.
Obsolete reading for 針魚; it is out-dated kana usage.
Obscure single-character kanji for this fish; very rare.
The name サヨリ (sayori) is of uncertain origin. The kanji 針魚 literally means 'needle fish', referring to its long, slender body.