Shusse-uo - Fish that grows bigger

A fish whose name changes as it grows, and which is called by its original name or a special name when it becomes an adult. It is a common fish, and its life cycle and ecology change dramatically from juvenile to adult, and as a result, fishing methods and commercial value differ.

The names given to fish at different stages of growth varied considerably depending on the region and class, but as they had commercial value and were widely distributed throughout the country, the names gradually became standardized. In particular, during the Edo period, fish were popular for their good luck, as they were often given different names at the time of coming of age or promotion in society.

Representative fish that grow up to success are yellowtail, mullet, and sea bass, but the size of the fish is not strict and the names vary slightly depending on the region. In general, yellowtail is called mojako when it is a young fish that is 3 to 7 centimeters (hereafter abbreviated to centimeter), tsubasu or tsubaeso when it is around 10 centimeters, wakashi or wakanago when it is around 15 centimeters, wakana when it is around 20 centimeters, fukuragi when it is around 20 to 30 centimeters, inada when it is around 40 centimeters, warasa, hamachi, mejiro, koburi, ninengo when it is around 30 to 60 centimeters, buri or sanka when it is over 60 centimeters, but extra large fish over 75 centimeters are also called ooburi, ooina, ooio, and sanengo. Of these, in Tokyo they are called wakashi, inada, warasa and buri, in order of growth, while in Toyama prefecture they are called tsubaeso, fukuragi and buri (those of about 45 cm are sometimes called nimaizuru, and those of about 60 cm are called sanka), in Hyogo prefecture they are called tsubasu, mejiro, ninengo and sannengo, and in Kochi prefecture they are called mojako, hamachi, buri and ooina.

For mullet, the silvery white ones around 3cm long are called haku, the ones that change from fry to young fish around 10cm long are called oboko or subashiri, immature fish around 25cm long are called ina or inakko, adult fish 30-50cm long are called borae, and extra large ones over 50cm are called todo. From these names, words like "inase" (fish back) and "tondotsumari" became common and became everyday words.

For Suzuki, juvenile fish are called Koppa, those under 15cm are called Hakura, 1-year-old fish up to about 30cm are called Seigo, those between 30 and 60cm (2-3 years old) are called Fukko (Hane or Mataka), and those over 60cm (4 years old or older) are called Suzuki. For Konoshiro, those around 4cm are called Shinko, Zeniko or Jako, those around 10cm are called Kohada or Tsunashi, and those over 15cm are called Konoshiro. For Kurodai, those over 10cm are called Chinchin, those under 20cm are called Kaizu, and those over that are Kurodai. For Japanese horse mackerel, those under 5cm are called Ajiko, those under 15cm are called Mameaji or Zengoaji, those under 20cm are called Koaji, those under 30cm are called Chuaji, and those over that are Oaji.

[Akira Ochiai and Kunio Amano, January 20, 2015]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

成長とともに呼び名が変わり、成魚になって本来の名または特別な名でよばれる魚。身近にみられ、稚魚から成魚までの間に、生活史や生態などが著しく変わり、それに伴って漁法や商品価値が異なる。

　成長段階別の呼び名は、地域や階層によってかなり違っていたが、商品としての価値があり、全国に広く分布するものはしだいに統一されるようになった。とくに江戸時代には元服や出世に伴って名前を変えたのに似ているため、縁起を担いで出世魚が喜ばれた。

　出世魚の代表格はブリ、ボラ、スズキであるが、魚体の大きさは厳密なものではなく、呼び名も地方によって多少異なる。一般にブリは3～7センチメートル（以下センチと省略）の稚魚をモジャコ、10センチ前後をツバス、ツバエソ、15センチ前後をワカシ、ワカナゴ、20センチ前後をワカナ、20～30センチをフクラギ、40センチ前後をイナダ、30～60センチをワラサ、ハマチ、メジロ、小ブリ、ニネンゴ、60センチ以上の成魚をブリ、サンカというが、75センチ以上の特大のものをオオブリ、オオイナ、オオイオ、サンネンゴともいう。これらのうち、東京では成長順にワカシ、イナダ、ワラサ、ブリ、富山県ではツバエソ、フクラギ、ブリ（45センチほどのものをニマイズル、60センチほどのものをサンカという場合もある）、兵庫県ではツバス、メジロ、ニネンゴ、サンネンゴ、高知県ではモジャコ、ハマチ、ブリ、オオイナなどと使われている。

　ボラは3センチ前後の体が銀白色のものをハク、10センチ前後の稚魚から若魚に変わるものをオボコ、スバシリ、それから25センチぐらいの未成魚をイナまたはイナッコ、30～50センチの成魚をボラ、50センチ以上の特大をトドという。この呼び名から「いなせ（鯔背）」とか「とどのつまり」などのことばが一般化して日常用語となった。

　スズキでは幼魚をコッパ、15センチ以下をハクラ、それから30センチぐらいまでの1歳魚をセイゴ、30～60センチ（2～3歳魚）をフッコ（ハネ、マタカ）、60センチ以上（4歳魚以上）をスズキとよぶ。コノシロは4センチ前後のものをシンコ、ゼニコ、ジャコ、10センチ前後のものをコハダ、ツナシ、15センチ以上のものをコノシロという。クロダイは10センチ余りをチンチン、20センチ以下をカイズ、それ以上をクロダイという。マアジは5センチ以下をアジコ、15センチ以下をマメアジ、ゼンゴアジ、20センチ以下を小アジ、30センチ以下を中アジ、それ以上を大アジとよぶ。

［落合　明・尼岡邦夫　2015年1月20日］

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