How to say "goldfish" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 金魚きんぎょnounThe common word for the goldfish, the fish Carassius auratus; it is the word you want in everyday speech and writing whenever you mean the actual fish.
- nounA children's word for a goldfish, less common than 金魚; it belongs to baby talk and nursery speech, so it is seldom the word you want in ordinary contexts.
Use 金魚 for the fish in any ordinary context; 「きんとと」 is a less common children's word for a goldfish, fitting only baby talk or speech directed at small children.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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