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麦

10:02 Oct 15, 2009

This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Agriculture

Japanese term or phrase: 麦

Is there an English equivalent? The sentence in question is as follows:

麦は世界で一番多く作られている穀物で、日本では小麦や大麦を総称して「麦」と呼んでいます。

The dictionaries I have seen say 麦 is barley or wheat. Obviously, that's not going to work here.

casey KudoZ activity Questions: 447 (none open) (17 closed without grading) Answers: 351 Japan
Local time: 00:59

Summary of answers provided

Cereal grains

humbird

Summary of reference entries provided

FYR

cinefil

Discussion entries: 9

Answers

2 hrs confidence:

Cereal grains

Explanation:
Glad you asked this question. I always wondering myself.

How about this, however?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal

Of course Cinefil's info. helped to come up with this.

HTH

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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-10-15 12:21:57 GMT)
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As you know well Japanese is "plural-singular insensitive" language, but 麦 in this case crearly indicates plural (麦類）.

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2009-10-16 13:36:24 GMT)
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Hi Casey, I was not aware Steven's discussion when I posted.
Yes he got point there. "Kokurui" is another tough word.
Well, I'm glad you got good suggestion from this posting. What is your translation, then? Would you mind sharing it ?

humbird
United States
Local time: 07:59
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Japanese,

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks, humbird. I appreciate the help, but the answer was given to me by Steven in the discussion before you posted your answer, so I don't think it's fair to award points.

Reference comments

9 mins

Reference: FYR

Reference information:
■麦
コムギとオオムギとをまとめて麦とよび、明治以降はその後伝来したライムギやエンバクなどをも麦に含めるようになった。この「麦」という概念は欧米にはなく、麦に相当する英語もない
スーパーニッポニカ百科事典（小学館）

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Note added at 10分 (2009-10-15 10:13:24 GMT)
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ce･re･al
*n. [Ｕpl.] 穀物, 穀類, 禾穀(（かこく）) 類; 穀草; 穀物食品, セリアル《朝食用オートミール･コーンフレークの類》.
リーダーズ＋プラス

cinefil
Japan
Works in field
Native speaker of: