noun
righteye flounder; flounder (family Pleuronectidae)
Refers to any fish of the family Pleuronectidae, commonly known as righteye flounders. In everyday Japanese, カレイ is the usual term for flounder, distinct from ヒラメ (lefteye flounder).
今夜の夕食はカレイの煮付けです。
Tonight's dinner is simmered flounder.
市場で新鮮なカレイを買った。
I bought fresh flounder at the market.
ヒラメ is a lefteye flounder (family Paralichthyidae), while カレイ is a righteye flounder. They are often contrasted in Japanese cuisine.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 鰈 is a kokuji (Japanese-created character) combining 魚 (fish) and 枼 (a phonetic element), but the word itself is likely native Japanese.