noun
red sea bream; Japanese sea bream
A prized fish in Japanese cuisine, often served whole on celebratory occasions. Scientific name: Pagrus major.
お祝いの席で、立派なマダイが出された。
At the celebration, a splendid red sea bream was served.
マダイは刺身にするととても美味しい。
Red sea bream is very delicious as sashimi.
General term for sea bream; マダイ specifically refers to the red sea bream (Pagrus major).
Compound of 真 (ma, 'true') and 鯛 (tai, 'sea bream'), referring to the most representative species of sea bream.