Which is bigger, a 갈치 or a 풀치?

ANSWER: A 갈치 is bigger because a 풀치 is just a baby 갈치, and a 갈치 is long thin fish known in English as a “hairtail” or “cutlass fish.” LINK

So, I have a question. If Koreans have a specific name for a baby cutlass fish, why don’t they have a specific name for a baby cat (kitten) besides 새끼 고양이? And what are the Korean names for a baby sheep and a baby goat besides 새끼 양 and 새끼 염소?

My English-Korean dictionary defines 새끼 as follows:

새끼 1) [새의] a chicken; a chick; a young bird; a brood (한배의); [동물의] the young (총칭); a cub; [말의] a foal; a colt; [개의] a pup; a puppy; [괭이의] a kitten, a kitty; [양의] a lamb; [염소의] a kid; [물고기의] a fry

So, 새끼 is just a general term (총칭) for the “young” of animals. But Koreans also have specific words to refer to the young of many of the animals mentioned in the definition above. So why aren't there specific Korean words for "kitten," "lamb," and "kid" besides those that use 새끼?

Korean words for specific baby animals:

• Bear: 능소니 (a cub)
• Chicken: 병아리 (a chick)
• Cow: 송아지 (a calf)
• Dog: 강아지 (a puppy)
• Dolphin: 가사리 (a calf)
• Fish: 모이 (a fry)
• Frog: 올챙이 (a tadpole)
• Horse: 망아지 (a foal)
• Pheasant: 꺼병이 (a chick)
• Tiger: 개호주 (a cub)

 For some reason, Koreans have specific names for the babies of certain fish. Some are listed HERE.