雑魚

Japanese

Kanji in this term
雑	魚
Grade: 5	Grade: 2
Irregular

Etymology

Jukujikun (熟字訓).

Alternative forms

雑 (ざ)喉 (こ) (zako)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [d͡za̠ko̞]
IPA^(key): [d͡ʑa̠ko̞]
IPA^(key): [iza̠ko̞]

Noun

雑魚 (hiragana ざこ, rōmaji zako, alternative reading じゃこ, rōmaji jako, alternative reading ざっこ, rōmaji zakko, alternative reading ざっこう, rōmaji zakkō, alternative reading いざこ, rōmaji izako, alternative reading ざこう, rōmaji zakō)

small fry; small, worthless fishes with low market value
(by analogy) a weak or useless person

Usage notes

Readings 3, 4, and 6 are all obsolete.

Derived terms

雑 (ざ)魚 (こ)寝 (ね) (zakone)
縮緬雑魚 (ちりめんざこ) (chirimen zako)