Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) (Weight 23.05 ± 6.98 g, Length 12.65 ± 1.38 cm) were exposed to waterborne nitrite at 0, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg NO₂^-/L for 96 hours. The lethal concentration 50 (LC₅₀) of C. carpio exposed to waterborne nitrite was 398.6 mg NO₂^-/L. Hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC count were significantly decreased by waterborne nitrite exposure. The MCV (mean mean corpuscular volume) (μl), MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin) (pg) and MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) (%) were significantly increased. The inorganic component, plasma calcium, was significantly increased, and the organic components such as plasma cholesterol and total protein were significantly increased showing a similar tendency with calcium. In enzymatic components, the AST and ALT were also significantly increased by nitrite exposure. The results of this study indicate that exposure to nitrite can affect the survival and hematological physiology of C. carpio.