Interesting Chinese Nicknames for Fish

[Zionas]

Flame Hawkfish 2B face=2B (“er bi lian”), Chinese for “***** face.”

Damsels are all called “Demons” in Chinese.

-Fiji Blue Devil (“fei ji mo”) Fiji Demon

-Yellowtail Blue Damsel (“huang wei lan mo”) Yellow Tail Blue Demon


Coral Beauty called Blue Lightning in China and Taiwan.


Rusty Angel called Red Lightning in China and Taiwan.


Marine Betta (“qi xi dou yu”) “Chinese Valentine’s Day Fighting Fish” Reference to its white spots that look like stars in the night sky, which reminds people of the legend behind Chinese Valentine’s Day where it is the only day that a celestial couple (deities) are able to meet.


Most wrasses are called “dragons.”

Six-Lined Wrasse -Six Lined Dragon

Yellow Coris Wrasse-Yellow Dragon

Angels are called “fairy fish.”

For example:

Flame Angel (火焰仙) Flame Fairy

Coral Beauty Angel (蓝闪电仙) Blue Lightning Fairy

African Flameback Angel (非洲火背仙) African Flameback Fairy


Gobies are often called “shrimp fish”, sometimes people don’t distinguish between gobies and blennies here and call both “shrimp fish.”


Algae Blennies are called “watermelon fish” here for some reason.


Borbonius Anthias- “Moldy Fish”

Anthias here are called “sea goldfish.”


Clownfish:

Percula- “Black Rimmed Gentleman Clown” (黑边公子)

Ocellaris - “Gentleman Clown” (公子)

Tomato -“Tomato Clown” (番茄小丑)

Cinnamon - “Black and Red Clown” (黑红小丑)

Clarkii’s - “Double Stripe Clown” (双带小丑)

Pink / Orange Skunk -“Silver Streak Clown” (银线小丑)

Saddleback - 鞍背小丑 is directly translated

 

[Salt Creep01]

Awesome ! Thank you

 

[Zionas]

You’re welcome. :)

Cardinalfish are called 天竺鯛 (strange name-literally translated it means “Indian fish”, 天竺 is an archaic name used by China to describe India).

PJ Cardinals are called 红眼玫瑰 (Red-Eyes Roses)

Bangaiis are often called 巴厘天使 (Bali Angels)


Tangs are called 倒吊 (literally translated it means “reversed hanging” lol)


Foxfaces are called 狐狸 (just “Fox”)


Basslets are often called 鬼王 (literally translated it means “ghost king”)

Royal Gramma 美国鬼王 (“American Ghost King”)

Blackcap Basslet 黑帽鬼王 (“Black Cap Ghost King”)

Yellow Assessor 黄鬼王 (“Yellow Ghost King / Devil”-this actually makes a bit of sense because in English Assessors are sometimes called Devilfish)


The common Squirrelfish is called 红将军 (“Red General”)


Triggerfish are called 炮弹鱼 (“Cannonball Fish”)


Filefish are called 剥皮鱼 (“Skinned-as in using a knife to remove something’s skin Fish)

 

[Copingwithpods]

It seams the Chinese have a better grasp of what damsels really are

 

[Zionas]

Bannerfish are called 关刀 (if anyone has played Dynasty Warriors, the Chinese think the fin of the Bannerfish resembles his weapon in historical fiction, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade)

Raccoon Butterfly 月眉蝶 Moon Shaped Eyebrow Butterfly

Moorish Idol 神像 (Deity Statue)

Snowflake Eel 云纹鳗 (Cloud Patterned Eel)

 

[ESH]

This is great! Thanks for sharing this!

 

[Zionas]

You’re welcome! It took me quite some time to get familiar with these names myself because at first I did not know that this hobby was gaining popularity where I am. I started reading material almost exclusively in English because I could not find much info just a couple years ago that was in Chinese.

皮实 (pi shi)=hardy / tough

脆 (cui)=fragile / hard to keep

软体珊瑚 (ruan ti shan hu)=soft coral

硬骨珊瑚 (ying gu shan hu)=LPS

软骨珊瑚 (ruan gu shan hu)=SPS