Japanese Conversation · Level 11
90 words
Japanese word
えい
Pronunciation
Romajiei
Meaning
- nounray
Example
えいが砂の中に隠れています。e i ga suna no naka ni kaku re te i ma su
A ray is hiding in the sand.
More examples
水族館では、飼育員がえいに餌を与えています。sui zoku kan de wa shi iku in ga e i ni esa o ata e te i ma su
At the aquarium, a keeper is feeding a ray.
Core concept
Describes a broad, flat-bodied sea animal that moves through the water with winglike fins.
Common phrases
えいに刺されるe i ni sa sa re ru
be stung by a ray
えいを釣るe i o tsu ru
catch a ray
えいの毒針e i no doku bari
stingray barb
Definition in Japanese
平たい体と左右に広がるひれを持つ海にすむ魚。hira ta i karada to sa yū ni hiro ga ru hi re o mo tsu umi ni su mu sakana
Word origin
The Japanese noun えい (ei, "ray") has no securely established borrowed source, and its earlier history is uncertain.
Usage tips
- In English, ray covers several related flat-bodied fish, while えい (ei) commonly refers to the group in Japanese without specifying a type such as a stingray or manta ray.