鮭
sake[sa̠ke̞]
The English word salmon can be translated into Japanese as 鮭 (sake) or サーモン.
Meaning: fish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 鮭 | sake | [sa̠ke̞] (narrow) [ɕa̠ke̞] (narrow) |
| サーモン | sāmon |
The word refers to the fish species. Depending on the context, you may use the native Japanese term or the loanword version.
Which one should you use?
The native word 鮭 is used when referring to salmon as a biological species or as a traditional ingredient in Japanese cooking. In contrast, the loanword サーモン is typically used in culinary contexts, such as on menus or when referring to processed salmon like smoked salmon.
How do you pronounce it?
sake
Did you know?
- In Japan, the phrase 鮭の親子丼 describes a bowl of rice topped with both adult salmon and salmon roe.
- The word 鮭 may originate from the Ainu phrase 'summer eat', referring to the season when salmon was traditionally caught and consumed.
- The pronunciation of 鮭 as 'sake' is almost identical to the word for 'rice wine', which can lead to confusion in spoken Japanese.
Examples in context
- 鮭を３切れ下さい。Give me three pieces of salmon.This sentence is useful for ordering salmon by showing how to ask for specific pieces of 鮭.Tatoeba #169565 by bunbuku, translation #244922 by CK
- 私の好きな魚は鮭です。My favorite fish is salmon.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for the fish 鮭.Tatoeba #7241269 by Aya, translation #5073753 by CK
- スモークサーモンを食べたよ。We ate smoked salmon.This sentence is useful for describing the consumption of サーモン.Tatoeba #11156595 by small_snow, translation #7733693 by CK
- サーモンが大好きです！I love salmon!
- しゃけの切り身を買いました。I bought salmon fillets.
- さかなの中でも、さけが一番好きです。Among fish, salmon is my favorite.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hina and Yota are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- 陽葵 Himari今日の夕食に鮭を焼かない？Kyō no yūshoku ni shake o yakanai?Why don't we grill some salmon for dinner today?
- 陽太 Yotaいい考えだね。冷蔵庫にあるかな？Ii kangae da ne. Reizōko ni aru kana?That's a good idea. I wonder if we have any in the fridge?
- 陽葵 Himariあ、ちょうど鮭が二切れあったよ。A, chōdo shake ga futakire atta yo.Oh, there are exactly two pieces of salmon.
- 陽太 Yotaよかった。じゃあ、準備するね。Yokatta. Jaa, junbi suru ne.Great. I'll get things ready then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “salmon” translations and entries 鮭, サーモン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries サーモン, 鮭, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
