1.
fish roe; fish eggs
The eggs of fish, used as a general term covering all varieties including salmon roe, cod roe, herring roe, and others.
魚卵は塩分が高い。
Fish roe is high in salt content.
日本では魚卵を使った料理が多い。
In Japan, there are many dishes that use fish roe.
魚卵アレルギーがあるので、いくらも明太子も食べられない。
I have a fish roe allergy, so I can't eat salmon roe or mentaiko.
魚卵 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: spicy seasoned cod roe
- 数の子: herring roe (crunchy, eaten at New Year)
- とびこ: flying fish roe (small, used on sushi)
- 筋子: salmon roe still in the egg sac
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 魚卵アレルギー: fish roe allergy
- 魚卵加工品: processed fish roe products
- 生魚卵: raw fish roe
CULTURAL NOTE:
Fish roe is an important part of Japanese cuisine, especially for sushi, rice toppings, and New Year dishes (数の子 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.