also: ふく · ふくべ · かとん
puffer fish; blowfish; fugu
Refers to the fish, especially as a delicacy in Japanese cuisine. Often associated with the potential poison (tetrodotoxin) and the need for licensed preparation.
When winter comes, I crave fugu hot pot.
He got fugu poisoning and was taken to the hospital.
You can't prepare fugu without a cooking license.
Only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare fugu.
Since we're here, let's order some fugu sashimi.
Chinese "Tail" constellation · counter for fish, shrimp, etc.
starry toado; starry pufferfish
pear puffer; Takifugu vermicularis
slender sunfish; oblong sunfish
purple puffer; Takifugu porphyreus
bluespotted boxfish (Ostracion immaculatus) · boxfish; trunkfish
green spotted puffer
yellowfin puffer; Takifugu xanthopterus
grass puffer; Takifugu niphobles
Japanese pufferfish; tiger puffer
map puffer; Arothron mappa
Katakana spelling is common in everyday use, especially in menus and casual writing.
Hiragana spelling is also very common; the word is usually written in kana.
Kanji form used in formal or literary contexts, but less common than kana.
Rarely used reading for the kanji form 河豚.
Rarely used kanji form.
Obsolete reading; rarely encountered.
Obsolete reading; rarely encountered.
The origin is uncertain. The word may be related to the verb ふく (to blow) because the fish inflates its body, but this is speculative.