鯛 (diāo) - Sea bream — a type of marine fish

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diāo ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

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鯛 · diāo

Sea bream — a type of marine fish in the family Sparidae, highly valued in East Asian cuisine, especially in Japan where it is considered an auspicious fish.

Sea bream — a type of marine fish

Usage highlights

Sea breamRed sea breamGrilled sea breamSea bream sashimiSea bream riceTaiyaki cake

Synonyms

  • 鯛魚— sea bream (general term)
  • 真鯛— red sea bream (most prized variety)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We grilled a whole sea bream for dinner (烤鯛鱼).
  • Tai-meshi is a dish of sea bream and rice (鯛飯).
  • The red sea bream is considered a lucky fish in Japan (真鯛).
  • Taiyaki is a fish-shaped cake usually filled with red bean paste (鯛焼き).

Collocations

  • Sea bream(鯛魚)
  • Red sea bream(真鯛)
  • Grilled sea bream(烤鯛魚)
  • Sea bream sashimi(鯛刺身)
  • Sea bream rice(鯛飯)
  • Taiyaki cake(鯛焼き)

Idioms

  • The sea bream's journey up the river(鯛のぼり)
  • Even the sea bream is not delicious without seasoning(鯛も一人はうまからず)
  • Better a sea bream's head than a sardine's tail(鯛の尾より鰯の頭)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Japanese culture, sea bream (tai) is considered an auspicious fish, often served at celebrations and festive occasions.
  • The word 'tai' in Japanese sounds like 'medetai' (congratulations), making it a symbol of good fortune.
  • Red sea bream is particularly prized and is often associated with celebrations like weddings and New Year.

FAQ