dark sleeper; Odontobutis obscura
A species of freshwater goby found in Japan and East Asia. Often used in the context of fishing or cooking.
Dark sleepers live at the bottom of rivers.
釣ったドンコを唐揚げにした。
I deep-fried the dark sleeper I caught.
Kanji form is rare; the word is usually written in kana.
The origin of the name ドンコ is uncertain, but it may be related to the fish's sluggish, bottom-dwelling behavior.