Translation guide
The English word 'moonfish' can refer to several unrelated fish species. This guide covers the most common Japanese equivalents for the fish an English speaker might mean.
A large, colorful, deep-bodied pelagic fish with a round, silvery body and red fins, often called moonfish.
The standard Japanese name for the opah. Literally 'red sunfish', it is the most common term in both everyday and scientific contexts.
Opah live in temperate seas.
A common market name for opah in Japan, especially in fish markets and sushi restaurants. Often used when the fish is sold as food.
Opah sashimi is very delicious.
A huge, bizarre-looking fish with a truncated body, often seen basking at the surface. Sometimes called moonfish in English, though 'sunfish' is more common.
The standard Japanese name for the ocean sunfish. This is the most common term and is widely recognized.
Ocean sunfish sometimes lie on their sides at the surface.
A silvery, laterally compressed fish with a steep forehead, found in the western Atlantic. Sometimes called moonfish in English.
Scientific name used in Japanese, as this fish is not native to Japan and has no common Japanese name. Only used in specialized contexts.
Selene vomer is distributed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Various other fish occasionally called moonfish, such as the spotted moonfish.
Japanese name for the spotted moonfish (Mene maculata), a small, silvery fish found in the Indo-Pacific. Rarely encountered.
The spotted moonfish lives in tropical seas.
The direct translation '月の魚' (tsuki no sakana) is not used for any of these fish and will not be understood. Always use the specific Japanese names above.
If you are talking about a fish you saw while diving, マンボウ or アカマンボウ are likely. If you are ordering sushi, マンダイ is the term you'll see on the menu.