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• tai
  tai

  noun

  any of several sparoid fishes of the Pacific Ocean, as Pagrus major red tai, a food fish of Japan.
• Tai
  Tai

  noun

  a group of languages spoken in SE Asia, including Thai, Lao, and Shan.
• TAI
  TAI

  abbreviation

  International Atomic Time

tai

¹ American  

[tahy] / taɪ /

noun

tai plural

1. any of several sparoid fishes of the Pacific Ocean, as Pagrus major red tai, a food fish of Japan.

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Tai ² American  

[tahy, tah-ee] / taɪ, ˈtɑ i /

noun

1. a group of languages spoken in SE Asia, including Thai, Lao, and Shan.

2. Thai.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Tai.

2. Thai.

TAI ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. International Atomic Time

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Tai ² British  

/ taɪ /

adjective

1. a variant spelling of Thai

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• tai
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tai

1615–25; < Japanese ta ( w ) i, earlier tafi

Example Sentences

Exercise, such as Tai Chi, also improves balance and muscle strength, reducing the risk of falls that could lead to fractures.

From Science Daily • Jun. 25, 2026

“Tariff‑rich environments will continue, and the uncertainty around how those tariffs are deployed will also continue,” said Katherine Tai, former U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

The building material segment’s profit is also likely to gain after Hong Leong acquired Yong Tai Loong, one of only five companies approved to build shelters in Singapore public housing, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

She says she is adjusting to the sound of banging gates and jingling keys at Tai Lam Correctional Institution - a complex of concrete and razor wire that overlooks a thin strip of water.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

“I see you’ve met Charlese,” Tai says to Miss Saunders.

From "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake