The Meaning of Koi

Koi, if you are looking for the simplest explanation, means “carp.” However, perhaps because of it’s ability to captivate and inspire us through its appearance and behavior, this brightly colored fish has also been imbued with numerous meanings and symbolisms beyond it’s alluring and dazzling shades.

The “living jewel” has inspired myths and legends. The Chinese tale tells of perseverance and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. Overcoming these hurdles, the reward was transcending to a higher plane and becoming one of the most revered and auspicious Chinese creatures, the dragon.

The Chinese have come to imbue the koi with much more meaning as a result, one of which is it being symbolic of worldly aspiration and advancement.

It is also believed that the black and white teardrops in the yin yang symbol represent a male and female koi with the “eyes” being their watchful gaze. As the symbol of the male and female fish is utilized in other symbols to denote good luck, the koi has also been used to represent good fortune as well as happiness and harmony. Seven golden koi represent good luck and the larger they are the better off you are.

The Japanese also place a tremendous significance of meaning on koi fish. The word itself can mean deep friendship or romantic love in Japanese.

Many of the same qualities that the Chinese recognized are also used in the Japanese symbolism. The effort of the fish in reaching the top of the falls in the legend denotes masculinity, individuality and strength or someone who is willing to go against the grain to succeed.

That same commitment used by the koi in overcoming obstacles has come to represent courage and determination as well as ambition, all of which are recognized as a positive virtue embodied by the fish.

The behavior of koi and its propensity to churn up water is valued, making them prized as the most energetic of Japanese fish.

The color of the fish also has representative meaning of koi, ranging from luxury to friendship. They are also representative of the family unit. Black is the father, the mother is red or orange, while a boy is white or blue and a girl is red or pink. On Children’s Day (May 5) koi flags are flown with these family colors.

No matter what the meaning of koi fish or what they have come to represent, they should be appreciated for their beauty and grace. Next Day Koi can help you find exactly what you are looking for, bringing you high quality fish at an unbeatable price.Sourced from some of the biggest and best koi farms in the world, we have also leveraged our high volume of shipping through UPS to bring you some of the most competitive Next Day Air shipping rates in the industry.

Contact one of our representatives to see how we can help you start to create your own symbolism.