Akame (a-kah-may) red eye
Aka (a-kah) red
Beni (ben-ee) red
Benigoi (ben-ee-goy) orange red koi
Doitsu (dough-eet-sue) German – scale-less, or rows of large scales
Gin-rin diamond scales
Godan (go-dan) five-step pattern
Hi (he) red
Hikari (he-kah-ree) metallic
Ichi (ee-chee) number 1, best
Kage (kah-gay) shadow, undeveloped black
Kanoko (kah-no-koh) dappled red markings
Ki (kee) yellow
Kin (kin) gold
Kin rin (kin rin) gold diamond scales
Kiwa (key-wah) edge of pattern
Kohaku (co-hah-ku) white Koi with bold red patches
Kuchibeni (koo-chee-ben-ee) red on the mouth like lipstick
Kuzu (koo-zoo) junk
Maruten (mah-roo-ten) round spot on the head (crown)
Matsuba (ma-tsue-bah) net-like pattern on scales (reticulation)
Menware (men-wah-ray) black stripe between eyes or Utsuri and Showa
Mesu (messu) female
Midori (me-doe-ree) green
Motoguro (moe-toe-goo-roe) black at the base of the pectoral fins
Nidan (nee-dawn) two-step pattern on Kohaku
Nisai (nee-sigh) two-year-old koi
Odome (oh-do-may) tail stop – the white area between last color on the body and tail
Ohmoyo (oh-moy-oh) a large pattern
Osu (oh-sue) male
Sandan (san-dawn) three-step pattern on Kohaku
Sanke (sawn-kay) white koi with red patches like a Kohaku and black spots on the upper half of the body
Sansai (san-sigh) three-year old koi
Sashi (sash-ee) white scales overlapping red on the leading edge of pattern
Showa (sho-wah) Black, red and white koi
Shimi (she-me) small black spot (freckle)
Shiro (sheer-oh) white
Shiro Utsuri (sheer-oh oot-sir-ee) Black and white Koi. Black appears as bands around the body
Sumi (sue-me) black
Tancho (tawn-choe) red spot on the head and no other red on the body
Tategoi (tah-tay-goy) a Koi with potential for further development
Tosai (toe-sigh) Koi of less then one year old
Tsubo sumi (sue-bow sue-me) Sanke black on white background, which may be bordered by red
Utsuri (oot-sir-ee) (see Shiro Utsuri, Utsuri can also be red or yellow)
Yondan (yon-dawn) four-step pattern on Kohaku
Yonsai (yon-sigh) four-year-old Koi
Special Thanks to Joel Burkard, Pan Intercorp for his help with these terms.
