魚卵(ぎょらん)

魚卵(ぎょらん) is the general term for fish eggs of any kind. It is used in formal, scientific, or culinary contexts when referring to fish roe as a category rather than a specific type.

Specific types

• いくら: salmon roe (large, red, loose eggs)
• たらこ: cod roe (salted, in a sac)
• 明太子(めんたいこ): spicy seasoned cod roe
• 数(かず)の子(こ): herring roe (crunchy, eaten at New Year)
• とびこ: flying fish roe (small, used on sushi)
• 筋子(すじこ): salmon roe still in the egg sac

Common collocations

• 魚卵(ぎょらん)アレルギー: fish roe allergy
• 魚卵(ぎょらん)加工品(かこうひん): processed fish roe products
• 生(なま)魚卵(ぎょらん): raw fish roe

Cultural note

Fish roe is an important part of Japanese cuisine, especially for sushi, rice toppings, and New Year dishes (数(かず)の子(こ) symbolizes fertility). Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish roe in the world.

Register

More formal than the specific names. In everyday conversation, people typically use the individual names (いくら, たらこ, etc.) rather than 魚卵(ぎょらん).