noun
flounder; bastard halibut; olive flounder
Refers broadly to flatfish of the families Paralichthyidae and Bothidae, especially the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), a common food fish in Japan.
今夜の夕食はヒラメの刺身だ。
Tonight's dinner is flounder sashimi.
ヒラメは海底に平たく張り付いている。
Flounders lie flat on the seabed.
noun
Slang metaphor derived from the fish's flat shape, implying a person who flattens themselves before superiors. Often used in workplace or hierarchical contexts.
あいつは上司にペコペコするヒラメだ。
That guy is a toady who sucks up to the boss.
Specialized kanji for flounder; rarely used.
Rarely used kanji form.
カレイ (righteye flounder) is a similar flatfish but belongs to a different family; often distinguished by eye position and culinary use.
The word ひらめ likely derives from 平 (ひら, 'flat') + 目 (め, 'eye'), referring to the fish's flat body and both eyes on one side. The slang sense is a metaphorical extension based on the fish's flattened shape.