Standard modern term for the marine mammal Orcinus orca. Usually written in katakana.
I saw an orca show at the aquarium.
mythical tiger-headed carp
Abbreviation of しゃちほこ. A mythical creature with a tiger's head and a fish's body, believed to bring good fortune and protection. Rarely used outside the context of traditional architecture or folklore.
See also: しゃちほこ
roof ornament shaped like a shachi
Abbreviation of しゃちほこ. A decorative roof tile in the shape of the mythical shachi, traditionally placed on castle roofs to ward off fire. Often seen on Japanese castles like Nagoya Castle.
See also: しゃちほこ
Orcas are apex predators of the sea.
Sometimes called 'shachi' as an abbreviation of 'shachihoko'.
Golden shachi ornaments sit atop the keep of Nagoya Castle.
ridge-end tile with a shachihoko figure
stand on ceremony; be stiffly formal · stiffen up; become tense; get nervous
Heaviside's dolphin
Common katakana spelling for the orca; also used for the mythical creature and roof ornament.
Kanji form is rare in modern use; the word is usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling, less common than katakana but still encountered.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 鯱 is a kokuji (Japanese-created character) combining 魚 (fish) and 虎 (tiger), reflecting the mythical creature's appearance. The reading 'shachi' may derive from the sound of the word or from an older term.