鮭
also: しゃけ
Meanings
1
Broad term for salmon species, especially in culinary or everyday contexts. Often refers to chum salmon when unspecified.
Tonight's dinner is grilled salted salmon.
In Hokkaido, salmon swim up the rivers in autumn.
2
chum salmon; dog salmon
Specifically Oncorhynchus keta, the most common salmon species in Japan. Often implied by the general term 鮭.
Most of the salmon caught in this river are chum salmon.
Usage patterns
- 鮭を焼くto grill salmon
For dinner today, I'm grilling and eating salmon.
- 鮭が川を遡るsalmon swim upstream (in a river)
When autumn comes, the salmon swim upstream in the river.
- 鮭を釣るto fish for salmon
My father goes salmon fishing every autumn.