うなぎ

also: むなぎ

う

な

ぎ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

eel; Japanese eel

usually written using kana alone

Typically refers to the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), a popular grilled dish in Japan. Often written in kana.

夏なつの土ど用ようの丑うしの日ひにはうなぎを食

た

べる

習しゅう

慣かん

が

ある

。

There is a custom of eating eel on the midsummer day of the ox.

この店みせのうなぎはふわふわでとても美味おいしい。

The eel at this restaurant is fluffy and very delicious.

Usage patterns

鰻うなぎを焼やくto grill eel
店てん主しゅは炭すみ火びで鰻うなぎを丁てい寧ねいに焼やいた。
The shop owner carefully grilled the eel over charcoal.
鰻うなぎを捕とるto catch eels
子こ供どもの頃ころ、川かわで鰻うなぎを捕とるのが好すきだった。
When I was a child, I loved catching eels in the river.
土ど用ようの丑うしの日ひに鰻うなぎを食たべるto eat eel on the midsummer Day of the Ox
日本にほんでは土ど用ようの丑うしの日ひに鰻うなぎを食たべる習しゅう慣かんがある。

Kanji

鰻eel

Don't confuse with

アナゴ
鰻 is the (freshwater-born) Japanese eel typically grilled as unaju/unadon, while あなご is the milder, softer conger eel usually served raw or lightly simmered on sushi.
ハモ
鰻 is the common grilled eel eaten year-round, whereas はも (daggertooth pike conger) is a bony, bony-cut summer delicacy特有 to Kyoto cuisine.

Counted with

匹ひきN3
In everyday speech, eels are commonly counted with 匹; traditional usage can also use 尾, but it is not in this inventory.
尾び
For fish, especially whole fish as food or catch (鯛一尾); casual speech also uses 匹.

Word family· 18

ヤツメウナギ
lamprey; lamprey eel
オオウナギ
giant mottled eel; marbled eel
海うみ鰻うなぎ
sea eel; saltwater eel-like creature
タウナギ
Asian swamp eel

Written forms

うなぎUsage47%
Standard modern spelling; usually written in kana.
ウナギUsage29%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, common in menus, biology contexts, or for emphasis.
鰻Usage24%

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. One theory suggests it derives from むなぎ (munagi), possibly related to 胸 (mune, 'chest') and 黄 (ki, 'yellow'), referring to the eel's yellowish underside, but this is speculative.

In Japan, there is a custom of eating eel on the Day of the Ox in midsummer.

シビレウナギ

electric eel

Show 6 more

メクラウナギ
hagfish; slime eel
フクロウナギ
pelican eel
針はり鰻うなぎ
elver; young eel
うなぎ屋や
eel restaurant
鰻うなぎ筒づつ
eel trap
シギウナギ
slender snipe eel

See all 18 in Explore →

うなぎ
Kanji form is recognized but the word is usually written in kana.
むなぎ
out-dated reading

むなぎ

out-dated reading

Obsolete kana form; not used in modern Japanese.