noun
sea bream; porgy
Refers to fish of the family Sparidae, especially the red sea bream (Pagrus major), a prized fish in Japanese cuisine. Often associated with celebrations.
お祝いの席で、鯛の塩焼きが出た。
At the celebration, grilled sea bream with salt was served.
タイは高級な魚として知られている。
Sea bream is known as a high-class fish.
A different species (splendid alfonsino) with large eyes and red skin, often used in simmered dishes.
The kanji 鯛 is a phono-semantic compound with 魚 (fish) and 周 (around), but the exact derivation of the Japanese word 'tai' is uncertain. It may be related to the adjective めでたい (auspicious), as sea bream is considered a lucky fish.