red squid; neon flying squid
Refers to Ommastrephes bartramii, a species of squid. The kanji 赤烏賊 is rarely used; the word is almost always written in kana.
Red squid are often caught in the waters near Japan.
市場で新鮮なあかいかを買った。
I bought fresh red squid at the market.
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is usually written in kana.
The name literally means 'red squid' (赤 'red' + 烏賊 'squid'). The exact derivation is uncertain, but it likely refers to the reddish coloration of the species.