Meaning
The kanji 魚 (ぎょ, うお, さかな) directly translates to 'fish'. This character is a prime example of a pictograph, visibly representing the animal it denotes. Its ancient form clearly showed a fish complete with a head, body, fins, and tail. While the character has been stylized over many centuries, the fundamental imagery of a fish swimming in water remains recognizable in its structure.
You can visualize its components to aid memorization: the top part can be seen as the head, with the middle strokes forming the body and fins, and the bottom horizontal stroke representing the tail. This visual connection can significantly assist in recalling the character. 魚 has a stroke count of 11 and is introduced in the second grade of Japanese elementary school, making it a foundational kanji for learners.
Its radical is also 魚. This indicates that any kanji featuring this radical is likely connected to fish or marine life. For instance, 鯨 (kujira - whale) and 鯉 (koi - carp) both incorporate the 魚 radical, underscoring their aquatic association. This self-contained radical status makes its core meaning particularly clear and easy to understand.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The main On'yomi reading for 魚 is ギョ (gyo). This reading typically appears when 魚 is part of a compound word. It's often used in more formal or scientific contexts, or when referring to a category or class of fish rather than a single fish. This reading maintains a phonetic link to its original Chinese pronunciation.
金魚 (kingyo) — Goldfish. This is a very common everyday compound word.
人魚 (ningyo) — Mermaid. A mythical creature, often imagined with a fish tail.
魚介類 (gyokairui) — Seafood. This broad term covers various marine creatures consumed as food.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi readings for 魚 are さかな (sakana) and うお (uo). Additionally, -ざかな (-zakana) acts as a suffix in some compound words due to sound changes. さかな is the most frequent reading when referring to 'fish' in general, especially when discussing it as food or observing fish swimming. うお is an older and slightly more formal reading, often found in specific fish names, proverbs, or literary contexts.
魚 (sakana) — Fish (general term, often referring to fish as food). This is the most commonly used reading in daily conversation.
魚河岸 (uogashi) — Fish market. Here, うお is used as part of a compound for a place associated with fish.
焼き魚 (yakizakana) — Grilled fish. Notice how 魚 takes on the suffixed form -ざかな due to rendaku (a sound change).
生魚 (namazakana) — Raw fish. This is another example of rendaku in action.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 魚 appears in many Japanese words, highlighting the significance of fish in Japanese culture, cuisine, and language. Here are some frequent examples, grouped by theme:
Types of Fish
熱帯魚 (nettaigyo) — Tropical fish
観賞魚 (kanshougyo) — Ornamental fish
鮮魚 (sengyo) — Fresh fish
小魚 (kozakana) — Small fish
Fish-related Activities and Items
魚屋 (sakanaya) — Fishmonger; fish shop
魚釣り (uotsuri) — Fishing
漁師 (ryoushi) — Fisherman (though 漁 alone means fishing)
魚網 (gyomou) — Fishing net
Food and Dishes
魚料理 (sakanaryouri) — Fish dish
魚肉 (gyoniku) — Fish meat
魚油 (gyoyu) — Fish oil
干物 (himono) — Dried fish (this term refers to dried food products in general, but often implies dried fish)
Example Sentences
魚が好きです。
Sakana ga suki desu.
I like fish.
毎日、魚を食べます。
Mainichi, sakana wo tabemasu.
I eat fish every day.
池に大きい魚がいます。
Ike ni ookii sakana ga imasu.
There is a big fish in the pond.
彼は魚を釣るのが得意です。
Kare wa sakana wo tsuru no ga tokui desu.
He is good at fishing.
店で新鮮な魚を買いました。
Mise de shinsen na sakana wo kaimashita.
I bought fresh fish at the store.
金魚は小さいですが、美しい魚です。
Kingyo wa chiisai desu ga, utsukushii sakana desu.
Goldfish are small, but beautiful fish.
子供たちは水族館でたくさんの魚を見ました。
Kodomo-tachi wa suizokukan de takusan no sakana wo mimashita.
The children saw many fish at the aquarium.
海の中には、いろいろな種類の魚が生息しています。
Umi no naka ni wa, iroiro na shurui no sakana ga seisoku shite imasu.
Various kinds of fish inhabit the sea.
Related Kanji
- 気 — Spirit, Energy, Air (Kanji N5)
- 百 — Hundred (Kanji N5)
- 土 — Earth, Soil, Ground (Kanji N5)
- 人 — Person (Kanji N5)
- 大 — Big, Large (Kanji N5)
- 間 — Interval, Space, Between (Kanji N5)
Memory Tip
To easily remember the kanji 魚, imagine it as a stylized drawing of a fish. The top part can be visualized as the fish's head, perhaps with its eyes or mouth. The two horizontal lines in the middle represent the fish's body, while the four dots or strokes at the bottom vividly depict its graceful fins or tail fin propelling it through water. Some learners find it helpful to connect the top component to 田 (field), imagining a 'field' of water where fish swim, though this is a mnemonic rather than an etymological explanation. Another perspective is to see a 'mouth' (口, subtly suggested in the head section) and 'fins' (灬, representing the tail in this context) on a fish. This strong visual link between the character's form and its meaning makes it very memorable.