鮭 (さけ) vs. しゃけ 🐟
Did you know that 鮭 and しゃけ both mean "salmon" in Japanese?
I came across しゃけ in my Marugoto textbook:
I know "salmon" is pronounced さけ, but what does しゃけ mean? Does it also mean "salmon?" 🤔
Yes and no, apparently!
しゃけ is for food while 鮭 is for the living fish
According to WaniKani:
Typically when you refer to the living animal, you use さけ, and when you refer to salmon as a food, it's more likely to be しゃけ (but it can go either way). There might be some generational and regional differences, though.
A quick Google search revealed this fascinating regional difference:
Basically:
鮭 (さけ) is the standard, formal, and written term. It is often preferred when referring to the living fish in nature.
しゃけ is a colloquial, spoken pronunciation. It is very commonly used in daily conversation, especially when referring to the fish as food (cooked, grilled, or as an onigiri filling).
What about サーモン?
サーモン: This term is used—particularly at sushi restaurants and other dining establishments—to refer to raw, farmed salmon. Farmed salmon is apparently more commonly used in sushi because there's less risk of foodborne illnesses such as parasites.
