Colorful ornamental carp fish, originally from Japan, often kept in decorative ponds and prized for their beautiful patterns.
From Japanese 'koi,' a word for carp that likely derives from Chinese origins. Japanese koi breeding elevated these fish from food sources to art forms, with the word spreading globally in the 20th century.
Koi fish are living art—some individual fish have sold for over a million dollars because their patterns are considered masterpieces! Japan transformed simple carp into symbols of beauty and tranquility, and now people worldwide have 'fish meditation' in their backyards.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.