noun
Japanese pond smelt; wakasagi
A small freshwater fish, Hypomesus nipponensis, commonly eaten as tempura or grilled. The name is usually written in katakana.
冬になると、湖でワカサギ釣りが楽しめる。
In winter, you can enjoy wakasagi fishing on the lake.
ワカサギの天ぷらはサクサクしていて美味しい。
Wakasagi tempura is crispy and delicious.
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
The origin of the name is uncertain. The kanji 公魚 ('public fish') is an ateji, and the word is thought to be of native Japanese origin.