also: え
animal feed; pet food; fodder
Food given to animals, livestock, or pets. Covers everything from hay to commercial pet food.
犬にえさをあげる時間だ。
It's time to feed the dog.
牛のえさは干し草だ。
The cows' feed is hay.
Used for fishing bait, traps, or figuratively as an enticement to lure someone into a situation.
釣り針にえさを付ける。
I put bait on the fishing hook.
犯人はお金をえさに人を集めた。
The criminal gathered people using money as bait.
I feed my goldfish every morning.
The fish bit the bait.
He used discounts as bait to attract customers.
I scattered feed for the carp in the pond.
Katakana spelling is sometimes used for emphasis or in informal contexts.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.