ニシン
nishin
The Japanese word for herring is ニシン (nishin).
ニシン refers to the fish of the Clupea genus.
Meaning: fish in Clupea (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
nishin
Did you know?
- In Hokkaido, the history of the ニシン industry was so dominant that it created a unique class of wealthy merchants known as 'herring millionaires'.
- The phrase nishin-goyomi refers to a 'herring calendar' used by fishermen to predict the precise timing of the fish's migration to the coast.
- The appearance of ニシン in Katakana on a package can sometimes signal that the product is being marketed as a 'modern' or 'international' ingredient rather than a traditional local staple.
Examples in context
- 「にしんはおいしい魚です。」Herring is a delicious fish.
- 「にしん缶を買ってきました。」I bought canned herring.
- ニシンは塩漬けにします。nishin wa shiozuke ni shimasu.Herring is preserved in salt.
- ニシンの塩焼きを食べたいです。nishin no shioyaki o tabetai desu.I want to eat salted grilled herring.
Example conversation
At a traditional Japanese restaurant.
- 結衣 Yui今日の おすすめは 何ですか？kyou no osusume wa nan desu ka?What is today's recommendation?
- 蓮 Ren新鮮な ニシン がありますよ。shinsenna nishin ga arimasu yo.We have fresh herring.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、ニシン を ください。jaa, nishin o kudasai.Then, please give me the herring.
- 蓮 Renかしこまりました。kashikomarimashita.Certainly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ニシン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
