noun
silver-stripe round herring; slender sprat
A small marine fish (Spratelloides gracilis) found in coastal waters of Japan, often eaten as sashimi or tempura.
キビナゴは鹿児島の名物です。
Silver-stripe round herring is a specialty of Kagoshima.
新鮮なキビナゴを刺身で食べた。
I ate fresh silver-stripe round herring as sashimi.
Rare ateji kanji form; not normally used in modern writing.
The origin of the name is uncertain; it may be related to the millet-like appearance of the fish or a regional term.