also: しゃけ
noun
Broad term for salmon species, especially in culinary or everyday contexts. Often refers to chum salmon when unspecified.
今夜の夕食は鮭の塩焼きです。
Tonight's dinner is grilled salted salmon.
北海道では秋になると鮭が川を遡上する。
In Hokkaido, salmon swim up the rivers in autumn.
noun
chum salmon; dog salmon
Specifically Oncorhynchus keta, the most common salmon species in Japan. Often implied by the general term 鮭.
この川で獲れる鮭はほとんどがシロザケです。
Most of the salmon caught in this river are chum salmon.
Katakana spelling, common in biological contexts or menus.
Common kana spelling, especially in everyday writing or for learners.
Katakana spelling for the colloquial reading しゃけ.
Colloquial variant reading; often used in casual speech, especially in eastern Japan.
Native Japanese word. The kanji 鮭 is a kokuji (Japan-made character) combining 魚 (fish) and 圭, possibly chosen for phonetic or semantic reasons; the exact derivation is uncertain.