noun
The animal, also commonly used for octopus as food.
タコはとても賢い生き物だ。
Octopuses are very intelligent creatures.
今夜はタコの刺身を食べよう。
Let's have octopus sashimi tonight.
noun
Colloquial, mildly insulting term for a foolish person. Often used in a teasing or light-hearted way.
あんなタコに騙されるなんて。
I can't believe I was fooled by such an idiot.
Rare kanji form.
Rare kanji form.
イカ means squid, a different cephalopod. Both are common in Japanese cuisine.
The origin is uncertain. The word is native Japanese, and the kanji 蛸 is a Chinese character adopted for its meaning.