魚

Fish

JLPT N5 11 strokes Animals Pictograph

Stroke Order

#DescriptionRegion
Head & fin area (top)
1
 Diagonal sweep left Top — dorsal fin
2
 Horizontal stroke Top — across the head
Body (田-like frame)
3
 Left vertical frame Body left side
4
 Top horizontal Body top
5
 Right vertical frame Body right side
6
 Middle horizontal bar Body centre divider
7
 Bottom horizontal Body base
Tail — 灬 (four strokes)
8
 First tail stroke 灬 leftmost
9
 Second tail stroke 灬 centre-left
10
 Third tail stroke 灬 centre-right
11
 Fourth tail stroke 灬 rightmost

Stroke Animation

Pictograph — 魚 is a stylised drawing of a fish
Strokes 1–2 Head & dorsal fin
The ノ + horizontal at top
Strokes 3–7 Body (田 shape)
The rectangular torso with scale divider
Strokes 8–11 Tail fin (灬)
Four-stroke "fire" radical repurposed as a tail
Kun'yomi (Japanese)
さかな・うお
sakana · uo
さかな is the everyday word for fish (food/animal). うお is older/literary — survives in compounds like 魚市場 (uoichiba, fish market)
On'yomi (Chinese-derived)
ギョ
gyo
Used in compounds: 金魚 (kingyo — goldfish), 熱帯魚 (nettaigyo — tropical fish), 魚類 (gyorui — fish species/category)
Mandarin Chinese
yú
yú (2nd tone — rising)
Homophone with 余 (yú — surplus) — auspicious at New Year. 年年有餘 (may every year bring abundance) is a traditional wish

Example Words

魚
さかな (sakana)
Fish (everyday word)
金魚
きんぎょ (kingyo)
Goldfish
魚屋
さかなや (sakanaya)
Fishmonger / fish shop
熱帯魚
ねったいぎょ (nettaigyo)
Tropical fish
魚介類
ぎょかいるい (gyokairui)
Seafood (fish and shellfish)
人魚
にんぎょ (ningyo)
Mermaid (literally "person-fish")
魚市場
うおいちば (uoichiba)
Fish market (e.g. Tsukiji)
魚料理
さかなりょうり (sakana ryōri)
Fish dish / fish cuisine