大雪(たいせつ)・ 鱖魚群(さけのうおむらがる)/Taisetsu・Sakenouomuragaru

2023年12月17日～12月21日の暦/From Dec.17th to Dec.21st

二十四節気(にじゅうしせっき)は大雪(たいせつ)

七十二候(しちじゅうにこう)は鱖魚群(さけのうおむらがる)

24 Solar Terms is Taisetsu. Heavy snow.

72 pentads is Sakenouomuragaru. When salmon come up the river in schools.

鱖魚(けつぎょ)とは、スズキ科の淡水魚“かわめばる”のこと。七十二候が生まれた黄河流域の生態（動植物）が、日本のものと異なるため、ここでは「鮭(さけ)」として扱われています。

Ketsugyo is a freshwater fish of the perch family.Because the ecology (fauna and flora) of the Yellow River basin, where the 72 pentads was born, is different from that of Japan, it is treated as “sake” here.

日本では明確な区分のない鮭(さけ)と鱒(ます)。英語では、海に降りて川に戻るものをSalmon（鮭）、川に残るものをTrout（鱒）と区別されています。

In Japan, there is no clear distinction between salmon and trout. In English, salmon is defined as something that goes down to the sea and returns to the river, and trout is defined as something that remains in the river.

また、鮭と鱒の卵を塩漬けにしたイクラも、食べ慣れた方にはその違いは歴然かと思います。が、私には並べて出されても分からない気がします 笑。

Also, for those who are used to eating salmon roe, which is made from salted salmon and trout eggs, the difference will be obvious. However, I don’t think I would understand even if they were presented side by side.

ちなみにイクラは、ロシア語のikraから来たものだそうです。

By the way, ikura comes from the Russian word ikra.