麦 (mài) - wheat & barley

麦Tone 4

mài ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 麦

伦妙

麦 · mài

wheat;

barley;

oats;

general term for cereal grains

wheatbarleyoats

Usage highlights

wheatbarleyoatsryewheat flourwheat field

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 稻— rice (staple grain contrast)
  • 米— rice (processed grain contrast)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We harvested wheat (小麦) from the field.
  • I bought oatmeal (燕麦片) for breakfast.
  • Barley tea (大麦茶) is popular in summer.
  • This bread is made from rye (黑麦).

Collocations

  • wheat(小麦)
  • barley(大麦)
  • oats(燕麦)
  • rye(黑麦)
  • wheat flour(麦粉)
  • wheat field(麦田)

Idioms

  • Not distinguishing wheat from beans(不辨菽麦)
  • Wheat in two seasons(麦秀两岐)
  • Looking at the plum to quench thirst, and at wheat to satisfy hunger(望梅止渴，看麦充饥)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the earliest cultivated grains in China, crucial to agricultural civilization.
  • In ancient times, wheat and barley were staple foods in northern China.
  • The character originally depicted a wheat plant with roots and ears.

FAQ