koi

/kɔɪ/

Koi are a brightly colored version of carp, the large freshwater fish. The big orange-and-white striped fish swimming under the footbridge in a park or botanical garden are koi.

Wild koi are found in lakes and rivers of East Asia, but most of these fish are domesticated, kept in ponds so people can admire their beautiful colors. The tradition of breeding koi to be bigger, fancier, and brighter started in 19th-century Japan. They can grow as long as three feet, and they come in dozens of colors. The Japanese koi, or "carp," is a homophone for a word meaning "love," and they've come to symbolize love and friendship.

Definitions of koi

1. noun

   a colorful, decorative fish of the carp family, originally bred and displayed in Japanese ponds