noun
goby (fish)
General term for gobies, a family of small bottom-dwelling fish. Often used in compound names for specific species.
河口でハゼを釣った。
I caught a goby at the river mouth.
noun
yellowfin goby (Acanthogobius flavimanus)
Specifically the yellowfin goby, a common edible species in Japan. Also called マハゼ.
See also: マハゼ
マハゼは天ぷらにすると美味しい。
Yellowfin goby is delicious when made into tempura.
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
Specifically the yellowfin goby (Acanthogobius flavimanus), while ハゼ can refer to gobies in general.
The origin is uncertain. The word is native Japanese, and the kanji forms are ateji (当て字) assigned based on meaning.