# Tai

/ˈtaɪ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tai
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 2. language family

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a group of languages from Southeast Asia and Southern China, including Thai and Lao.

For teachers: a branch of the Tai-Kadai language family; also refers to the people who speak these languages.

- She is studying the history of Tai languages in Southeast Asia.
- Linguistic researchers have spent decades tracing the migration patterns of Tai-speaking populations from Southern China into the Indochinese Peninsula.

## Examples

- We ate fresh tai sashimi at the wedding feast.
- The chef carefully sliced the tai to ensure the red skin remained visible for the traditional New Year's platter.
- In Japanese culinary tradition, tai is considered the king of fish, not only for its delicate flavor but also for its cultural association with fortune and longevity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.