noun
spotbelly rockfish
A species of rockfish (Sebastes pachycephalus) found in Japanese waters. The name is typically written in katakana as is common for fish and other organisms.
北海道ではムラソイがよく釣れる。
Spotbelly rockfish are often caught in Hokkaido.
ムラソイは煮付けにすると美味しい。
Spotbelly rockfish is delicious when simmered in soy sauce.
The name ムラソイ likely derives from 斑 (mura, 'spot' or 'uneven pattern') and 曹以 (soi, an old term for rockfish). The exact historical derivation is uncertain.