sardine, (kokuji)
鰯 centers on the sardine, a small, soft-boned fish. It is a Japanese-made character (kokuji) specifically for this fish.
鰯 is a kokuji (Japanese-made kanji) combining 魚 (fish) with 弱 (weak), referring to the sardine's soft, easily damaged body.
A fish (魚) that is weak (弱) and soft: the sardine.
For いわし, imagine a sardine saying 'I wish I were stronger' as it feels weak: I wish -> いわし.
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pilchard (esp. Japanese pilchard, Sardinops melanostictus); sardine
Japanese pilchard (Sardinops melanostictus); Japanese sardine
Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonica)
Hawaiian ladyfish (Elops hawaiensis)
bonefish (Albula vulpes); banana fish; ladyfish
minke whale; piked whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
fertilizer made from dried sardines
sardine and holly charm; sardine head and holly branch placed next to the front door during setsubun to ward off demons
round herring (Etrumeus teres)
sheet of dried sardines
attenuated spider fish (Bathypterois atricolor)
flathead silverside (Hypoatherina valenciennei)
lantern fish (any fish of family Myctophidae, esp. Watase's lanternfish, Diaphus watasei)
pickled sardines; dried sardines; red sardines
better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion
Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonica)
faith is mysterious; faith is weird; even a pilchard's head (can be revered) through faith
pilchard oil; sardine oil
fish cake (made from sardines, used as a fertilizer); sardine meal
dried, smoked pilchard; shavings from dried, smoked pilchard