noun
whale shark
The largest living fish species, a filter-feeding shark with a distinctive spotted pattern.
ジンベイザメはプランクトンを食べる。
Whale sharks eat plankton.
沖縄の海でジンベイザメを見た。
I saw a whale shark in the sea off Okinawa.
Katakana spelling is standard for this animal name.
Rarely used kanji form; the word is usually written in kana.
The name 甚平鮫 (jinbei-zame) is said to come from the pattern on the shark's skin resembling a traditional jinbei garment. The exact origin is uncertain.