noun
ocellated octopus
A small octopus species found in coastal waters of East Asia, often used in Japanese cuisine.
イイダコは煮付けにすると美味しい。
Ocellated octopus is delicious when simmered in soy sauce.
春になるとイイダコが市場に出回る。
In spring, ocellated octopus appears in the markets.
タコ is the general term for octopus, while イイダコ refers specifically to the ocellated octopus species.
The name イイダコ is thought to derive from 飯 (いい, 'rice') + 蛸 (たこ, 'octopus'), possibly because its eggs resemble grains of rice. The exact origin is uncertain.