うなぎ

also: むなぎ

う

な

ぎ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

eel; Japanese eel

usually written using kana alone

Typically refers to the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), a popular grilled dish in Japan. Often written in kana.

夏なつの土ど用ようの丑うしの日ひにはうなぎを食たべる習しゅう慣かんがある。
There is a custom of eating eel on the midsummer day of the ox.
この店みせのうな重じゅうはふわふわでとても美味おいしい。
The grilled eel over rice at this restaurant is fluffy and very delicious.

Written forms

うなぎUsage47%
Standard modern spelling; usually written in kana.
ウナギUsage29%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, common in menus, biology contexts, or for emphasis.
鰻Usage24%
- うなぎ
  Kanji form is recognized but the word is usually written in kana.
- むなぎ
  out-dated reading
むなぎ
out-dated reading
Obsolete kana form; not used in modern Japanese.

Kanji

鰻eel

Similar words

あなご
Conger eel, a different species with a milder taste and softer texture, often used in sushi.
はも
Daggertooth pike conger, a summer delicacy in Kyoto cuisine, distinct from unagi.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. One theory suggests it derives from むなぎ (munagi), possibly related to 胸 (mune, 'chest') and 黄 (ki, 'yellow'), referring to the eel's yellowish underside, but this is speculative.

うなぎ