noun
Japanese jack mackerel; Japanese horse mackerel
A common fish in Japanese waters, often eaten as sashimi, grilled, or fried. The scientific name is Trachurus japonicus.
今朝、市場で新鮮なマアジを買った。
I bought fresh Japanese horse mackerel at the market this morning.
マアジは刺身でも美味しいし、焼いても美味しい。
Japanese horse mackerel is delicious both as sashimi and grilled.
アジ is the general term for horse mackerel, while マアジ specifically refers to the Japanese horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus).
Compound of 真 (ma, 'true') and 鯵 (aji, 'horse mackerel'), distinguishing it from other horse mackerel species.