Fugu vs. Pufferfish — What's the Difference?

The fugu (河豚; 鰒; フグ) in Japanese, bogeo (복어; 鰒魚) or bok (복) in Korean, and hétún (河豚; 河魨) in Standard Modern Chinese is a pufferfish, normally of the genus Takifugu, Lagocephalus, or Sphoeroides, or a porcupinefish of the genus Diodon, or a dish prepared from these fish. Fugu can be lethally poisonous to humans due to its tetrodotoxin, meaning it must be carefully prepared to remove toxic parts and to avoid contaminating the meat.The restaurant preparation of fugu is strictly controlled by law in Japan and several other countries, and only chefs who have qualified after three or more years of rigorous training are allowed to prepare the fish.

Any of various prickly, often poisonous, chiefly marine fishes of the family Tetraodontidae that have a beaklike mouth and puff themselves up when threatened, by swallowing water or air. Also called blowfish, puffer.

Any of various pufferfishes that are used as food, especially in Japan, after the poisonous skin and organs have been removed.

Any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe several times their normal size by swallowing water or air when threatened; puffer, blowfish, swellfish, balloonfish, globefish.

Blowfish: a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins.

A delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins; (Japanese) fugu.

Delicacy highly prized in Japan but highly dangerous