Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

魚 (さかな, sakana) Japanese meaning: fish | Kotomora

魚さかな

also: うお

さ

か

な

Common word›JLPTN5›Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

1

General term for fish as an animal or food. The reading さかな is standard; うお appears mainly in compounds or literary contexts.

今こん夜やの夕ゆう食しょくは魚さかなだ。

Tonight's dinner is fish.

川かわで大おおきな魚さかなを釣つった。

I caught a big fish in the river.

Usage patterns

魚さかなを焼やくto grill/broil fish
夕ゆう食しょくに魚さかなを焼やいた。
I grilled fish for dinner.
魚さかなをおろすto fillet a fish
父ちちは魚さかなをおろすのが得とく意いだ。
My father is good at filleting fish.
魚の骨が喉に刺さるさかなのほねがのどにさるto get a fish bone stuck in one's throat
魚さかなの骨ほねが喉のに刺どにさって痛いたい。
I have a fish bone stuck in my throat and it hurts.
魚さかなが腐くさるfor fish to spoil/go bad
暑あつさで魚さかながすぐに腐くさってしまった。
The fish spoiled quickly in the heat.

Expressions· 9

魚さかな捕とりfishing; catching fish
魚さかなの食くいfish biting; fish striking; fish taking bait
魚さかなを捕とるcatch fish
魚さかなを釣つるto fish; to angle
死しんだ魚さかなの目めempty eyes; thousand-yard stare; blank gaze

Show 3 more

魚さかなは頭あたまから腐くさるthe fish rots from the head; decay starts at the top
逃にげた魚さかなは大おおきいthe one that got away seems the biggest
逃にがした魚さかなは大おおきいthe one that got away is always the biggest

See all 9 in Explore →

Kanji

魚fish

Related words

魚ぎょ類るい
魚類 is the formal, taxonomic term for fish as a biological class, while 魚 is the everyday word for a fish as an animal or food.
魚ぎょ介かい
魚介 is a broader culinary term covering fish and shellfish together (seafood), while 魚 refers specifically to fish.
フィッシュ
魚 is the native Japanese word for fish and is used generally, while フィッシュ is a loanword often used for Western dishes, brand names, or menu items.
魚ぎょ肉にく
魚 refers to the fish as a whole living or food animal, while 魚肉 specifically means the edible flesh of the fish used in cooking or food products.

Opposites

肉にくN5
肉 means meat, forming the natural contrast with 魚 (fish) as the two main categories of animal protein in Japanese cooking.

Don't confuse with

肴さかな
肴, also read さかな, means a snack or dish eaten with alcoholic drinks, unlike 魚, which simply means fish as an animal or food.

Counted with

匹ひきN3
匹 is the everyday counter for live or whole fish, as in 魚を三匹買った (I bought three fish).
切きれN3
For cut slices and pieces — fish, meat, cake (鮭一切れ).
尾び
For fish, especially whole fish as food or catch (鯛一尾); casual speech also uses 匹.

Word family· 22

焼やき魚ざかな
grilled fish
魚さかな釣つり
fishing
魚さかな屋や
fish shop; fishmonger; fish dealer
生なま魚ざかな
raw fish; uncooked fish; fresh fish

Written forms

魚Usage98%
- さかな
  Standard kanji spelling; the most common reading is さかな.
- うお
  Alternate reading うお is used in some compounds and older contexts, but さかな is far more common in everyday speech.
ウオUsage1%

Etymology

The kanji 魚 is a pictograph of a fish. The reading さかな is of native origin, while うお is also native and older, now largely replaced by さかな in modern usage.

下げ魚ざかな

low-grade fish; cheap fish

Show 9 more

地じ魚ざかな
locally caught fish; local fish
塩しお魚ざかな
salted fish
小こ魚ざかな
small fish; fry
煮に魚ざかな
simmered fish; fish simmered in soy sauce
青あお魚ざかな
blue-backed fish
魚さかな市いち
fish market
魚さかな店だな
fish dealer; fishmonger
旬しゅんの魚さかな
fish in season; seasonal fish
漬つけ魚ざかな
pickled fish

See all 22 in Explore →

うおUsage1%

サカナUsage<1%