Language of Koi – Glossary

Published on March 2, 2010

1 Doitsu
1 Doitsu

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.

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