魚: the kanji for fish
魚 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means fish. Below are its readings, 9 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
魚 is written in 11 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
魚 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 9 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ギョ (gyo)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 金魚きんぎょ · kingyo | goldfish |
| 魚類ぎょるい · gyorui | fish (as a class) |
| 鮮魚せんぎょ · sengyo | fresh fish |
| 人魚にんぎょ · ningyo | mermaid |
うお (uo)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 魚市場うおいちば · uoichiba | fish market |
さかな (sakana)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 魚さかな · sakana | fish |
| 焼き魚やきざかな · yakizakana | grilled fish |
| 魚屋さかなや · sakanaya | fish shop |
| 煮魚にざかな · nizakana | simmered fish |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 魚と肉、どちらが好きですか。Sakana to niku, dochira ga suki desu ka.Which do you like better, fish or meat?
- 朝ご飯は焼き魚とご飯です。Asagohan wa yakizakana to gohan desu.Breakfast is grilled fish and rice.
- 早朝に魚市場を見学しました。Sōchō ni uoichiba o kengaku shimashita.I toured the fish market early in the morning.
- 生の魚は食べられますか。Nama no sakana wa taberaremasu ka.Can you eat raw fish?
- 夏祭りで金魚すくいをしました。Natsumatsuri de kingyo sukui o shimashita.I tried goldfish scooping at a summer festival.
- 駅の近くの魚屋は新鮮です。Eki no chikaku no sakanaya wa shinsen desu.The fish shop near the station has fresh fish.
Questions about 魚
How many strokes does 魚 have?
魚 is written in 11 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 魚?
The on readings are gyo (ギョ). The kun readings are uo (うお), sakana (さかな).
Why is 焼き魚 read yakizakana, not yakisakana?
When 魚 (sakana) comes second in a compound, the first sound often becomes voiced: s becomes z. This sound change, 連濁 (rendaku), also appears in 煮魚 (nizakana).
What JLPT level is 魚?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Food, animals and nature
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 魚
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.