black and white koi with ghost appearance; may have white scales with black center

Ma-tsu-ka-wa         ba-ke

black base color koi with white, red or yellow  pattern in stripes across body; black is wrapping below lateral line; often has moto goro

U-tsu-ri

black base color with white stripes across body and red pattern markings; may have motogoro on pectoral fins and black fins

Sho-wa

black koi with a gold sheen

Kin-bo

black koi with a silver sheen

Gin-bo

black koi with all white head, pectoral fins, tail fin and caudal fins

Yot-su-shi-ro

black koi with gold edges on each scale

Kin       Ka-bu-to

black koi with red cheeks ancestor of Kohaku

Hoo-ka-zu-ki

black koi with silver edges on each scale

Gin       Ka-bu-to

black koi with white or orange bellies

Ka-ra-su-goi

black koi with white tips on pectoral and caudal fins

Ha-ji-ro

black koi with white tips on pectoral and caudal fins and head and nose

Ha-ge-sh-ir-o

black lightening mark across the face of a Showa

men-wa-re

black lines on pectoral fins of Sanke

te-ji-ma

black lips or mouth

ku-chi         zu-mi

black markings on top of red pattern on Sanke

no-se        zu-mi (sumi)

black markings on white base of Sanke

tsu-bo         zu-mi (sumi)

black pattern at base of pectoral fins on Showa, Utsuri or Hikari Utsuri

mo-to         gu-ro

black pattern at base of pectoral fins on Showa, Utsuri or Hikari Utsuri

mo-to         zu-mi

black pattern on top of red pattern in Sanke

ka-san-e      zu-mi  (sumi)

black pepper speckels on red or white

se-sa-me

black on the gill plate

a-go     su-mi

black scales outlined in white like an Asagi net pattern

Su-mi-na-ga-shi

black spot on the head like that of a Tancho

ku-ro

black spots appearing as a koi grows larger

a-to     su-mi

blue

ai

blue grey koi with a brown pattern

O-chi-ba        Shi-gu-re

blurred or faded black

Bo-ke      Su-mi

bred, fancy carp in beautiful colors

koi

brown koi; may have light black netting; "tea"="o-cha"

Cha-goi

brushed reflective build up on top of scales in rows like brushed aluminum

Dai-ya

brushed reflective sparkel build up on top of scales in rows like brushed aluminum; diamond Gin Rin

Hi-ro-shi-ma     Gin      Rin

changeable red secondary pattern

ni-ba-ni       (niban hi)

checkerboard black pattern preferred on Showa

i-chi-ma-tsu        mo-yo

color

i-ro

colored

sho-ku

colors reversed

u-ra

common carp

Ma-goi

continuous red pattern from head to tail on Kohaku

ip-pon

cross of Sanke and Ogon

Ko-shi-ki

dappled cherry blossom red pattern

Ka-no-ko

deep body of doitsu or German scale carp

I-shu-gru-del

deep wrapping red pattern on Kohaku

ma-ki-ga-fu-kai

Doitsu cross between Midorigoi and Shusui

En-yu

Doitsu Hariwake with cloud like red pattern on sides

Ki-ku-su-i

Doitsu koi with mirror scales on the dorsal and lateral lines on sides

ka-ga-mi-goi

Doitsu koi with only mirror scales on the dorsal line

Ka-wa-goi

Doitsu version of Asagi

Shu-su-i

Doitsu white and black killer whale pattern

Ku-mon-ryu

Doitsu with jumbled scales not in rows

a-ra-goi   or      a-ra-go-ke

Doitsu with jumbled scales not in rows

i-shi-ga-ki

Doitsu with large scale out of place

mu-da-go-ke

dorsal fin

se-bi-re

draining mud ponds to collect koi

i-ke     age

edge

Ka-do

eye

me

eye with red iris seen in Ki-goi

a-ka-mi

face

ka-o

figured or shaped

mo-nyo

fin

hi-re

first or best one

i-chi-ban

fish scale

go-ke

flowery patterned Shusui where the red extends down from the doitsu scales below the lateral line; a white line separates the red at the lateral line

Ha-na      Shu-su-i

four white areas on a black koi

ho-tsu-ji-ro

front edge of red pattern where color goes under the scale

sa-shi

fully scaled Japanese koi

wa          goi

gill

era

gloss or shine on skin of doutsu

te-di

gold and silver scales; shiney reflecting build up on top of scales in rows

Kin       Gin        Rin

gold metallic Shusui with greater number of hred markings than Gin Sui

Kin      Su-i

gold metallic solid color koi with black pinecone pattern

Kin      Ma-tsu-ba

golden or silver sparkel scales

Gin       Rin

good bloodline in Sanke with excellent red and small black markings

Sa-da-zo         San-ke

Goromo with black netting

Su-mi       Go-ro-mo

Gosanke with tancho on head in addition to other pattern

Ma-ru-ten

green colored koi

Mi-do-ri        goi

head

ha-chi

horseshoe pattern on head of Kohaku

ku-tsu-be-ra

imporving the color using food

i-ro         age

iron colored black bloodline

Te-tsu            Ma-goi

kiwa at the edge of full scales to formed scalloped edge

ma-ru          zo-me

kiwa with straight line across a scale

ka-mi-so-ri

Kohaku bloodline

Di-an-i-chi

Kohaku or Sanke with silver speckels on the head when young

Fu-ji

Kohaku original name

sa-ra-sa

Kohaku original name

za-ra-sa

Kohaku red head pattern  extends to the mouth

ha-na-tsu-ki

Kohaku sub variety with head pattern resembling Napoleons hat

Napoleon

Kohaku with dappled red pattern

go-ten      za-ku-ra

Kohaku with no red on the head (bald head)

bo-zu

Kohaku with only red spot on the head

Tan-cho

Kohaku with stepping stone pattern

Da-ga-ra

Kohaku with stepping stone pattern

dan-mo-yo

koi

goi

koi

Ni-shi-ki-goi

koi farm

yo-gyo-en

koi with "a patch of snow" on head

Yu-ki

koi with blue netting of scales on back and red on sides and belly

A-sa-gi

koi with no red pattern in the tail region

bon-gir-i

koi with no scales or with scales only on the lateral lines and dorsal

Doit-su

koi with the whole surface of the scale sparkles

Be-ta     Gin      Rin

laquer type black on Sanke

ur-o-shi       su-mi

largest red spot

hi   ban

last red patch on a Kohaku

o-ji-me

light blue

a-ke-bi

lightning or zig zag red pattern on Gosanke

I-na-zu-ma

metallic Ai-goromo

Sho-chi-ku-bai

metallic Ki Bekko

To-ra          O-gon

metallic Kohaku with dappled red pattern

Kin-za-ku-ra

metallic koi with green lateral line scales on a platinum body

Ha-ku-shu

metallic koi with Showa and Utsuri patterns and bloodline

Hi-ka-ri     U-tsu-ri    Mo-no

metallic Konoko Kohaku

Sa-ku-ra         O-gon

metallic Kumonryu with additional red markings

Ki-ko-ku-ryu

metallic Sanke (scaled)

Ya-ma-to          Ni-shi-ki

metallic Sanke (Doitsu)

He-sei          Ni-shi-ki

metallic shine on skin

Hi-ka-ri

metallic Showa

Kin      Sho-wa

metallic Utsuri

Gin      Shi-ro      Ut-su-ri

metallic yellow base colro koi with wrapping black pattern

Kin       Ki        U-tsu-ri

modern Kohaku bloodline

Ya-go-zen

Modern Showa with a lot of white pattern and less black and red

Kin-dai      Sho-wa

most revered varieties Kohaku, Sanke and Showa

Go-san-ke

mouth

ku-chi

mud black colored koi

doro-goi

mud pond to grow koi

Doro        i-ki

non-metallic blue-grey koi

So-ra-goi

number 1

i-chi

orange

O-ren-ji

pattern

mo-yo

pattern only on one side of the body

ka-ta        mo-yo

pectoral fin

te

pectoral fins of an Ai Goromo

Ha-go-ro-mo

pinkish white color

ha-tsu-hi

pond

i-ke

potential koi

ta-te-goi

purple color

mu-ra-ski

red

be-ni

red

hi

red as in red Bekko

a-ka

red at base of pectoral fins of Kohaku

te-aka

red disc on the head of a white koi as featured in the Japanese flag

hi-no-ma-ru

red gill plates ancestor of Kohaku

hoo          a-ka

red head or face pattern

ha-chi-bi

red head or face pattern

ka-bu-to

red head or face pattern

men-ka-bu-ri

red koi with white pectoral fin, caudal fin and tail fin tips

A-ka    Ha-ji-ro

red lipstick mark on mouth

ku-chi          be-ne

red on  Kohaku extends all of the way to the tail with no tail stop

zo-bon-ha-ki

red on the forehead

zu-kin-ka-bur-i

red on the stomach of Kohaku

ha-ra        hi

red pattern at the base of pectoral fin in Gosanke

mo-to         a-ka

red pattern covered below lateral line

ma-ki-ko-mi

red pattern from had to tail on Showa

Hi        jo-wa

red pattern wrapping around the stomach

ma-ki-ba-ra

red, yellow or white koi with pine cone pattern in black

Ma-tsu-ba

rippling blue water

su-i

round

ma-ru

sagging abdomen or stomach

ha-ra-shi-ta

Sanke bloodline known for large size

Ma-tsu-no-su-ke

Sanke with metallic pectoral fins

bun-ka

Sanke with only red mark on the head

Tan-cho        San-ke

Sanke with top of body completely red with black spots

A-ka    San-ke

scale

ur-o-ko

scale as in Gin Rin

rin

shadow or phantom black

Ka-ge

sheen of skin on a scaled koi

tsu-ya

shiny spot in the center of each scale in rows

Ni-I-ga-ta        Gin         Rin

shiny spot in the center of each scale in rows

Ta-ma          Gin        Rin

shiny spot in the center of each scale in rows

tsu-ba        gin        rin

shoulder sumi mark preferred on  Showa

ka-ta        zu-mi  (sumi)

Showa with Asagi netting pattern on the back

Ka-ge       Sho-wa

Showa with only red mark on the head

Tan-cho        Sho-wa

Showa with unfinished black pattern that appears as grey netting

Bo-ke      Sho-wa

Shusui where the doitsu scales have a silver shine

Pearl Shu-su-i

Shusui with green replacing the blue

zu-i-un

Shusui with red wrapping from the belly all the way up to the dorsal

Hi        Shu-su-i

Shusui with yellow replacing the red pattern

Ki      Shu-su-i

silver grey metallic koi

Ne-zu          O-gon

silver metallic koi with black pinecone pattern

Gin       Ma-tsu-ba

silver metallic Shusui

Gin      Su-i

single color metallic koi

O-gon

single step, unbroken red pattern

Nip-pon            Hi

single step, unbroken red pattern

o-mo-yo

single white scale in color spot

ko-ke-su-ki

size

BU

skin

ha-da

skin texture

ji-ha-da

small black spot on less than 1 scale of a Kohaku

shi-mi

small red pattern on Kohaku

ko       mo-yo

small spots of red like paint splashes

to-bi           hi

solid color koi with black in th center of Doitsu scales

Doit-su      mat-su-ba

solid red koi

A-ka    Mu-ji

star like shape of red pigment stretched as koi grows which fills in to solid red later

ho-shi

stomach tumor

cho-man

tail fin

o-bi-re

tail stop

o-do-me

tail stop

o-zu-ke

thick luster around scales

fu-ku-rin

thin red color

ko-be-su-ki

three

san

three colored koi" from Taisho era

Tai-sho          San-sho-ku

two

ni

two metallic color koi with black netting

Ku-ja-ku

two metallic color koi with gold and silver patterns and no black; sometines has its own class

Ha-ri-wa-ke

unstable, flat black color pattern

na-be         su-mi

Utsuri with red body

Hi        U-tsu-ri

Utsuri with white body

Shi-ro           U-tsu-ri

Utsuri with yellow body

Ki      U-tsu-ri

V shaped black mark behind the head on a Showa

ha-chi-wa-re

very deep red koi

Be-ni     goi

water

mi-zu

white

shi-ro

white base color koi koi with red pattern covered with blue/purple netting like a cluster of grapes

Bu-do      San-ke

white base color koi with 5 colors with red pattern and blue, dark blue and black net pattern on red and white

Go-shi-ki

white base color koi with red and wrapping black markings

Sho-wa          San-sho-ku

white base color koi with red pattern and blue or black netting only on the red pattern

Go-ro-mo

white base color koi with red pattern and blue or black netting only on the red pattern

Ko-ro-mo

white base color koi with red pattern covered with blue netting

Ai     Go-ro-mo

white base color with shiny black spot pattern

Be-kko

white metallic koi

Pu-ra             chi-na

yellow

ki

yellow

yam-a-bu-ki