Koi Metal Bookmark

Koi were first bred for color in the 1820s in Japan. The word koi comes from Japanese, simply meaning "carp". What are known as koi in English are referred to more specifically as nishikigoi in Japan (literally meaning "brocaded carp"). In Japanese, koi is a homophone for another word that means "affection" or "love"; koi are therefore symbols of love and friendship in Japan.