carp

Everyday

1. A carp is a large freshwater fish that lives in lakes, ponds and slow rivers; goldfish and koi are kinds of carp. tree →
2. To carp is to keep complaining about small, unimportant things (informal, disapproving): «He's always carping about the food». tree →

In the lessons

In nature lessons, carp are pond and river fish; in Australia, introduced carp are pests that harm rivers. In Asia, koi carp are kept in ornamental ponds. Some families in Europe, including Ukraine and Poland, eat carp at Christmas Eve. In everyday talk, «stop carping» means stop grumbling. Phrases: «koi carp», «carp fishing», «carp about», «carp on».

Examples

• We saw big orange carp in the pond. tree →
• Grandad caught a carp in the lake. tree →
• Koi are a kind of carp. tree →
• In Australia, carp are a pest in the rivers. tree →
• Stop carping about the weather! tree →
• He carped on about the noise all day. tree →
• Fat carps stared at the glass wall with stupid eyes. tree →

Note

Plural of the fish is usually «carp» (one carp, five carp); «carps» is for kinds. The verb is regular and a bit formal or old-fashioned; «moan» and «grumble» are more common.