halibut; Pacific halibut
Refers to halibut, especially the Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis). Commonly used in cooking and fishing contexts.
Halibut are often caught in Hokkaido.
Halibut meunière is exquisite.
Katakana spelling is standard for this fish name; usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling is also used, but katakana is more common for this word.
Kanji form is rare and mainly seen in specialized contexts; it but marks the word is listed as usually written in kana.
The word is likely a borrowing from Ainu or a related language, but the exact origin is uncertain. The kanji 大鮃 literally means 'big flounder'.