Japanese Koi Terms

We've committed to learning one new word a month:

There are 5 vowels in the Japanese language.
They are identical to the English language but they are pronounced differently.
A- Pronounced AH
I - Pronounced EE
U - Pronounced OO
E - Pronounced Eh
O - Pronounced Oh

If you can master these Vowels and the sounds, you will be able to speak Japanese with a better accent than one without mastering it.

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Koi Judge Douglas Dahl has a great list of koi terms - he has given us permission, to post the whole list here.

1 metallic color

Hi-ka-ri     Mu-ji       Mo-no

2 metallic colors; may also have black pattern

Hi-ka-ri     Mo-yo     Mo-no

2 step red pattern

ni-dan

3 colored koi; white base color with red and shiny black pattern markings; may have stripes on fins

San-ke

3 step red pattern

san-dan

4 step red pattern

yon-dan

5 step red pattern on Kohaku

go-dan

Ai Goromo with additional Sanke black spots

Ko-ro-mo         San-ke

Ai Goromo with additional Showa black pattern

Ko-ro-mo         Sho-wa

all other varieties of koi except those varieties listed in the show

Ka-wa-ri-mo-no

armored or large scales

yo-ro-i

Asagi bloodline with ligheter color and dark blue scales rimmed in lighter blue

Na-ru-mi       A-sa-gi

Asagi bloodline with very dark blue

Ko-njo        A-sa-gi

Asagi with a white line at the lateral line separating the blue top from the orange below

Ta-ki             A-sa-gi

Asagi with lightest bloodline

Mi-zu         A-sa-gi

Baby koi born this year

To-sai

back edge of red or black color pattern

ki-wa

birthplace of koi in japan

Ni-i-ga-ta

black

su-mi

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