雑魚

Japanese

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

Alternative spelling
雜魚 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Jukujikun (熟字訓).

Alternative forms

• 雑喉(ざこ) (zako)

Pronunciation

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

Noun

雑魚(ざこ) or 雑魚(じゃこ) or 雑魚(ざっこ) or 雑魚(ざっこう) or 雑魚(いざこ) or 雑魚(ざこう) • (zako or jako or zakko or zakkō or izako or zakō) 

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

Usage notes

Readings 3, 4, and 6 are all obsolete.

Derived terms

• 雑魚寝(ざこね) (zakone)
• 縮緬雑魚(ちりめんざこ) (chirimen zako)