I thought that such a lexicon would become handy both for English-speaking newcomers and long term residents!
I wrote the Japanese pronunciation first, the Chinese (Japanese kanji) characters and the English translations.
bear in mind that many fish have many names depending on the Japanese region. These are the common names.
If you have a question I will be glad to investigate!
A separate lexicon is being prepared for all other seafood!
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Traditional Japanese Fish Classification
Akami/赤身: red-fleshed fish (tuna, bonito, etc)
Amago/アマゴ: fresh water Red spotted masu trout, Satsukimasu salmon
Gyoran/魚卵: Fish roe (salmon roe, etc)
Hikarimono/光り物: “shining fish” (scabbard fis, etc.)
Nagamono/長もの: “long fish” (eels, etc.)
Saamon/サーモン: salmons
Shiromi/白身: white-fleshed fish (sole, etc.)
Fish varieties
Aburagarei/油鰈: a cheap variety of karei/鰈: righteye flounder, atheresthes evermanni Jordan and Starks
Aodai/青鯛: “blue snapper”, paracaesio caeruleus (Katayama)
Atorantikku saamon/アトランティックサーモン: Atlantic salmon
Ainame/鮎並、愛魚女: greenling
Akahata/赤羽太: an expensive variety of red grouper, epinephelus fasciatus
Aka isaki/赤伊佐木、赤伊佐幾、赤鶏魚/Red chicken grunt
Aka jinmiidai/赤仁羽鯛 (also called Sujiara/筋𩺊): Red-spotted rockcod, Blue spotted grouper
Akakamasu/赤梭魚、赤梭子魚、赤魳 (also called Honkamasu/本梭魚、本梭子魚、本魳): red barracuda, sphyraena pinguis Gunther
Aka kasago/赤笠子、赤瘡魚: rockfish, marbled rockfish, scorpionfish
Akamanbou/赤万包 (also called Mandai/万鯛): Opah,Moonfish
Aka mebaru/赤メバル: red Japanese sea perch-rockfish
Akamutsu/赤鱫、赤鯥 (also called Nodokuro/喉黒): rosy seabass, red gnomefish
Akou/茂魚,石茂魚 (also called kijihata/雉羽太): redspotted grouper
Akoudai/赤魚鯛: rose fish
Amadai/甘鯛: tilefish
Amenouo (Biwa masu)/岩魚, 鯇、天之魚（琵琶鱒）: Biwa trout, Biwa salmon (fresh water), char
Aanago/穴子、海鰻: conger eel
Ankou/鮟鱇、鮟: frogfish, monkfish
Ara/𩺊: sawedged perch
Ayu/鮎、香魚: ayu, ayu fish (fresh water)
Bachimaguro/鉢鮪 ・撥鮪(also known as Mebachi/目鉢 。眼撥or as Mebachimaguro/目鉢鮪・眼撥鮪): big-eyed tuna
Bakemaguro/化け鮪(also called Koshinagamaguro/腰長鮪): longtail tuna, longtailed tuna, spot-side tuna (the smallest tuna in Japan)
Binchoumaguro/鬢長鮪 (also known as Binnaga/鬢長 and Tonbomaguro/蜻蛉鮪): Albacore
Binnaga/鬢長 (also known as Binchoumaguro/鬢長鮪 and Tonbomaguro/蜻蛉鮪): Albacore
Biwa masu (Amenouo)/ 琵琶鱒（岩魚, 鯇、天之魚）: Biwa trout, Biwa salmon (fresh water), char
Bora/鯔: mullet
Bouzu Konnnyaku/坊主蒟蒻 (also called Chikodai/チコ鯛 or Chidai/血鯛, although misleading): Chunky fathead, cubiceps squmixeps
Budai/ブ鯛: white-spotted parrotfish, Japanese parrotfish
Buri/鰤: yellowtail/Japanese Amberjack
Chichibu/ちいぶ: Tridentiger obscurus (Temminck and Schlegel)
Chidai/血鯛: Crimson sea-bream,Porgy
Chouzame/蝶鮫、鱘: sturgeon
Dojyou/鰌：loach
Ebisudai/恵比寿鯛: Deepwater squirrelfish, Ebisu perch, Giant squirrelfish
Ebodai (also called Ibodai)/えぼ鯛（疣鯛）: Japanese butterfish, Melon seed, Wart Perch
Ei/鱏、鱝、鰩、海鷂魚: Ray. There are many kinds of ray available on the Japanese market. I have heard of at least 13 varieties: Akaei/Whip stingray, Japanese stingray, Hakutensibireei/Electric ray, Hirataei/ Urolophus aurantiacus Müller and Henle,1841, Hoshiei/Pitted stingray, Karasuei/ Pleroplatytrygon violacea (Bonaparte,1832), Madaratobiei/Eagle ray, Narutobiei/Longheaded Eagle Ray, Naru Eagle Ray,Onagaei/Bennett’s cowtail ray, shibireei/Electric ray, tsubakuroei/Japanese butterflyray, tsumarikasube/Okamejei schmidti (Ishiyama,1958), tobiei/Japanese Eagle Ray, Yamatoshibireei/Trapezoidal torpedo
Eso/狗母魚・鱛: lizardfish, snakefish
Etsu/斉魚、鱭魚: Grenadier anchovy
Fuedai/笛鯛: star snapper
Fugu/鰒、河豚: Globefish
Fuka/鱶: shark
Funa/鮒: crucian carp (fresh water)
Ginzake/銀鮭: coho salmon, silver salmon
Gomasaba/胡麻鯖: blue mackerel
Gori/ごり: floating goby
Gori/ごり:Japanese sculpin (also called ukkigori/うきごり)
Goten anago/御殿穴子: a cheap variety of Anago/穴子: conger eel, arisoma meeki (Jordan and Snyder)
Hagatsuo/歯鰹: striped bonito
Hamachi/はまち/Japanese name for a lighter colored flesh variety of buri/鰤/yellowtail
Hakkaku (also called Tokubire)/八角 （トクビレ）: a variety of poacher, Podothecus sachi
Hamadai/浜鯛 (also called Onaga/尾長): flame snapper, longtailed red snapper, Onaga
Hamafuefukidai/浜笛吹鯛: a cheap variety of snapper, lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskal)
Hamo/鱧: pike eel
Hasu/鰣: Opsariichthys uncirostris (Temminck et Schlegel, 1846)
Hata/羽太: grouper, the expensive variety
Hata hata/鰰: a sandfish
Haze/蝦虎魚、鯊: goby
Hedai/平鯛: goldlined seabream-tarwhine-stumpnose
Higai/鰉: fat minnow
Higetara/髭鱈: snubnose brotula
Himedai/姫鯛: Crimson snapper,Sea-perch,Snapper
Hirame/平目、鮃、比目魚: sole, flatfish
Hiramasa/平政: yellowtail amberjack
Hirasaba/平鯖: chub mackerel, Pacific mackerel, blue mackerel
Hirasoudagatsuo/平宗田鰹: auxis, variety of bonito, bullet tuna
Hirasuzuki/平鱸: a variety of sea blackbass
Hokke/𩸽: Okhotsk atka mackerel, Arabesque greenling
Honkamasu/本梭魚、本梭子魚、本魳 (also called Akakamasu/赤梭魚、赤梭子魚、赤魳): red barracuda, sphyraena pinguis Gunther
Honmaguro/本鮪 (also called Kuromaguro/黒鮪): bluefin tuna
Hoshigarei/星鰈: “Star Turbot”,verasper variegatus (Temmink and Schlegel)
Houbou/方々: red gurnard, red robin
Ibodai (also called Ebodai)/ 疣鯛（えぼ鯛）: Japanese butterfish, Melon seed, Wart Perch
Ikanago/玉筋魚: Japanese sand lance
Inada/いなだ/ Japnese name for buri/鰤/yellowtail/Japanese amberjack when it is 40 cm long
Indomaguro印度鮪 (also known as Minamimaguro/南鮪): Southern Bluefin tuna
Irako anago/伊良子穴子: a cheap variety of Anago/穴子: conger eel, synaphobranchus kaupii Johnson
Isaza/魦・鱊・尓魚・𩶗/Biwa goby
Isaki/伊佐木、伊佐幾、鶏魚: chicken grunt
Ishidai/石鯛: striped beakfish, barred knifejaw
Ishigaki-Ishigakidai/石垣-石垣鯛: spotted knifejaw
Ishigarei/石喰霊: stone flounder
Ishimochi/石持: silver croaker, white croaker, silver jewfish
Iso kasago/磯笠子、磯瘡魚: a variety of rockfish
Iwana/岩魚、嘉魚、鮇: char, charr
Jyuzukakehaze/ジュズカケハゼ: Chestnut goby (also called gori/ごり）
Kaiwari/貝割: whitefin trevally
Kajikimaguro/梶木鮪・旗魚鮪 (also known as Makajiki/真梶木・真旗魚): spearfish (blue) marlin
Kagokakidai/駕籠担鯛: Stripey, Microcanthus strigatus (Cuvier)
Kamasu/魳、梭魚、梭子魚: barracuda
Kanpachi/間八、環八: greater amberjack, Japanese amberjack
Harargo/鮞・はららごthe traditional Japanese name for Ikura/イクラ (Russian origin)/salmon roe
Karasugarei/烏鰈: Greenland halibut, Mock halibut, Bastard halibut, Black halibut, Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Walbaum)
Karei/鰈: righteye flounder
Kasago/笠子、瘡魚: False kelpfish, Marbled rockfish
Kasugo/春子鯛: young Madai/真鯛: Japanese seabream
Katsuo/鰹: bonito
Kawahagi/皮剥: filefish, leather jacket
Kibinago/黍女子、黍魚子、吉備女子、吉備奈仔: silver-stripe round herring,
Kibire/黄鰭: yellowback seabream
Kihadamaguro/黄肌鮪 (also known as Kiwada/キワダ(Tokyo, Wakayama), Gesunaga/ゲスナガ(Shizuoka), Mashipi/マシビ(Osaka, Kochi) and Kinhire/キンヒレ: yellowfin tuna
kijihata/雉羽太(also called Akou/茂魚,石茂魚): redspotted grouper
Kinki/金色魚: Thornhead, Idiot, Sebastolobus macrochir (Gunther)
Kinmedai/金目鯛: splendid alfonsino
Kintokidai/金時鯛: red bigeye
Kisu /鱚、鼠頭魚: sand boarer
Ko Aji/子鯵: very young horse mackerel (also called Mame aji/豆鯵)
Kochi/鯒、牛尾魚: flathead
Kohada (konoshiro)/小肌（鰶・鮗・鯯・鱅）: dotted gizzard shad
Koi/鯉: carp (fresh water)
Konoshiro (kohada)/小肌（鰶・鮗・鯯・鱅）: dotted gizzard shad
Korodai/胡蘆鯛: a cheap variety of snapper, diagramma pictum
Kose/コセ: A variety of Stripped jack, also called Shima aji/縞鯵!
Koshinagamaguro/腰長鮪 (also called Bakemaguro/化け鮪): longtail tuna, longtailed tuna, spot-side tuna (the smallest tuna in Japan)
Koshyo (Koshiodai)/胡椒鯛: crescent sweetlips
Kuchimidai/口美鯛 (also called Menada/目奈陀・目魚): haarder, redlip mullet, Liza haematocheila (Temminck and Schlegel)!
Other names I will have to add to the lexicon!
Kue/九絵、垢穢: longtooth grouper
Kurodai/黒鯛: Japanese black porgy
Kuromaguro/黒鮪(also called Honmaguro/本鮪): bluefin tuna
Kuro Mebaru/黒眼張、黒眼張魚、黒鮴/Black Japanese sea perch
Kuromutsu/黒鱫、黒鯥: Black gnomefish
Kuro shitabirame/黒舌平目: Black Sole
Kyuusen/九線・九仙 (also called Bera/ベラ): halichoeres poecilopterus (Temminck and Schlegel) a cheap variety of snapper in Eastern Japan, but an expensive one in Western Japan
Maaji/真鯵: Japanese jack mackerel
Ma anago/真穴子 (also called Maru anago/丸穴子): a cheap variety of Anago/穴子: conger eel, conger myriaster (Brevoort)
Madai/真鯛: Japanese seabream
Madara/真鱈: Pacific cod
Magarei/真鰈: flounder, yellow striped flounder, turbot, halibut
Maiwashi/真鰯: sardine
Makajiki/真梶木・真旗魚 (also known as Kajikimaguro/梶木鮪・旗魚鮪): spear fish (blue) marlin
Makubuu/マクブー (also called Shirokurabera/シロクラベラ): Okinawa Blackspot tuskfish, Choerodon shoenleinii (Valenciennes)
Mame aji/豆鯵: very young horse mackerel (also called Ko Aji/子鯵)
Managatsuo/真魚鰹: butterfish
Mandai/万鯛 (also called Akamanbou/赤万包): Opah,Moonfish
Numachichibu/ヌマチチブ: Japanese trident goby (also called gori/ごり)
Maruaji/丸鯵: “round horse mackerel”, decpterus akaadsi Abe
Maru anago/丸穴子 (also called Ma anago/真穴子): a cheap variety of Anago/穴子: conger eel, conger myriaster (Brevoort)
Marusoudagatsuo/丸宗田鰹: auxis, variety of bonito, frigate tuna
Masu/鱒: trout
Masunosake/鱒の介: king salmon, chinok salmon
Matoudai/的鯛、馬頭鯛: John dory, St Peter’s fish
Matsukawagarei/松川鰈: An expensive variety of Japanese Karei/鰈: righteye flounder, verasper moseri Jordan and Gilbert
Mebachi/目鉢・眼撥 (also known as Mebachimaguro/目鉢鮪・眼撥鮪or as Bachimaguro/鉢鮪・撥鮪): big-eyed tuna
Mebachimaguro/目鉢鮪 ・眼撥鮪(also known as Mebachi/目鉢 。眼撥or as Bachimaguro/鉢鮪・撥鮪): big-eyed tuna
Mebaru/眼張、眼張魚、鮴: Japanese sea perch, Japanese rock fish
Medai/目鯛: an expensive variety of Japanese snapper, hyperoglyphe japonica
Meichidai/目一鯛: an expensive variety of Japanese snapper, Gymnocranius griseus
Meitagarei/目板鰈: Frog-flounder, Finespotted flounder, Seriola quinqueradiata Temminck and Schlegel
Mejina/眼仁奈: largescale blackfish
Mejiro/目白: young Buri/鰤: yellowtail
Mekajiki/眼梶木・眼旗魚: swordfish, broadbill
Menada/目奈陀・目魚 (also called Kuchimidai/口美鯛): haarder, redlip mullet, Liza haematocheila (Temminck and Schlegel)!
Menuke/目抜: a Japanese variety of rock fish/sea perch, “flame fish”, sebastes flammeus (Jordan and Starks)
Minaimaguro/ 南鮪 (also known as Indomaguro印度鮪): Southern Bluefin tuna
Mizukamasu/水魳、水梭魚、水梭子魚: a variety of Japanese barracuda
Mojako/もじゃこ/ japanese name for buri/鰤/yellowtail/Japanese amberjack when it is still s fry
Mutsu/鱫、鯥: gnomefish
Namazu/鯰: catfish (fresh water)
Nanyoubudai/: blunt headed parrotfish, parrotfish, Chlorurus microrhinos (Bleeker)
Nishin/鯡・鰊: herring
Nodokuro/喉黒 (also called Akamutsu/赤鱫、赤鯥): Rosy seabass
Noresore/のれそれ: conger eel whiting
Oaka Aji/尾赤鯵:Red tail horse mackerel
Ohyou/大鮃: halibut
Okimebara/沖目張 (also called Usumebaru/薄目張): sebastes Thompson (Jordan and Hubbs): a variety of Japanese sea perch, Japanese rock fish
Okoze/虎魚、鰧: velvet fish
Onaga/尾長(also called Hamadai/浜鯛): flame snapper, longtailed red snapper, Onaga
Onigochi/鬼鯒、鬼牛尾魚/a variety of sand borer
Onikasago/鬼笠子、鬼瘡魚: Devil scorpion fish
Renkodai/連子鯛: Yellowback seabream
Saamon torauto/サーモントラウト: salmon trout
Sagoshi/サゴシ/Another name for Sawara/鰆/Japanese Spanish mackerel
Sake, Shake/鮭: salmon
Samegarei/鮫鰈: roughscale sole, clidoderma asperrimum (Temminck and schlegel)
Satsuki masu/皐月鱒: Red spotted masu trout, Satsukimasu salmon
Sakura masu/桜鱒: seema, cherry salmon, masu salmon
Same/鮫: shark
Sanma/秋刀魚、青串魚: mackerel pike
Sappa/鯥: Japanese shad/Japanese sardinella
Sawara/鰆: Japanese Spanish mackerel
Sayori/細魚、針魚: halfbeak
Sennendai:千年鯛: Emperor red sanpper
Shiira/鱪、鱰: mahi mahi, dolphinfish
Shimaaji/縞鯵・島鯵: striped jack, white trevally
Shimanagatsuo/縞鰹: Striped butter fish (not to be confused with Suma/縞鰹: a variety of bonito found in South Japan/same kanji characters!)
Shinko/シンコ: young Kohada (konoshiro)/小肌（鰶・鮗・鯯・鱅）: dotted gizzard shad
Shirauo/白魚: white bait
Shirasu/白子(Namasirasu/生白子 if raw): sardine whiting
Shirokurabera/シロクラベラ (also called Makubuu/マクブー): Okinawa Blackspot tuskfish, Choerodon shoenleinii (Valenciennes)
Shiro mebaru/白眼張、白眼張魚、白鮴: white Japanese sea perch-rockfish
Shirosaba Fugu/白鯖河豚: a variety of globefish/puffer fish, lagocephalus wheeleri abe, tabeta and kitahama
Shishamo/柳葉魚: Shishamo (meaning willow leaf fish, a kind of Japanese smelt), Spirinchus lanceolatus
Soi or Kurosoi/曽以, 黒曽以: a variety of black rockfish, sebastes schlegeli, 1880
Sujiara/筋𩺊 (also called Aka jinmiidai/赤仁羽鯛): red-spotted rockcod, blue spotted grouper, plectropomus leoparadus(Lacepède,1802)
Suma/縞鰹: a variety of bonito found in South Japan. Not to be confused with Shimanagatsuo/縞鰹(same kanji characters!): striped butter fish
Suzuki/鱸: Japanese seabass, Japanese dace
Tachiuo/太刀魚、魛: scabbard fish, cutlass fish
Tai/鯛: Seabream (in Japan, it means the best variety!), red snapper
Taiseiyoumaguro/大西洋鮪: Atlantic (including Mediterranean) bluefin tuna
Takabe/鰖: Yellowstriped Butterfish
Tanago/鱮: Acheilognathus melanogaster Bleeker, 1860
Tara/鱈: cod
Tobiuo/飛魚: flying fish
Tonbomaguro/蜻蛉鮪(also known as Binchoumaguro/鬢長鮪 and Binnaga/鬢長): Albacore
Torafugu/虎河豚・虎鰒: globefish
Tsubodai/つぼ鯛: pentaceros japonicus Doderlein (seabream variety)
Ugui/鯎、石斑魚: a Japanese dace, fresh water minnow
Umazura/馬面 (also called Umazurahagi/馬面剥): black scraper, Filefish, Scraper, a large variety of filefish
Umazurahagi/馬面剥(also called Umazura/馬面): black scraper, Filefish, Scraper, a large variety of filefish
Unagi/鰻: eel (only cooked)
Urumeiwashi/うるめ鰯: round Herring
Usumebaru/薄目張 (also called Okimebara/沖目張): sebastes Thompson (Jordan and Hubbs): a variety of Japanese sea perch, Japanese rock fish
Utsubo/鱓: moray eel
Wakasagi/公魚、鰙、若鷺: pond melt, Japanese melt (fresh water
Wakasわかし/Japanese name for buri/鰤/yellowtail/Japanese amberjack when it is 20 cm long
Warasa/わらさ/Japanese name for a buri/鰤/yellowtail/Japanese amberjack when it is 60 cm long
Yagara/矢柄: trumpet fish. There are two varieties: Akayagara/赤矢柄/red trumpet fish and 青矢柄/blue trumpet fish
Yamame/山女魚: A Japanese variety trout
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