小麦

こむぎ

wheat

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Understanding 小麦 (xiǎo mài)

小麦 literally means "small wheat," but it refers to wheat as a crop. It is a staple grain widely cultivated and used in many foods like bread, noodles, and pastries.

Common Contexts

You will often see 小麦 in agricultural, culinary, and economic contexts. For example, discussions about crop production, food ingredients, or harvest results frequently use this word.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 小麦生产 (xiǎo mài shēngchǎn): wheat production, used in farming or economic reports.
  • 小麦 (xiǎo mài fěn): wheat flour, a common cooking ingredient.
  • 小麦 (xiǎo mài shōuchéng): wheat harvest, referring to the yield of the crop.

Usage Notes

小麦 is a formal and standard term for wheat. It is not used metaphorically or in idiomatic expressions. When talking about wheat in everyday conversation, especially about food, 小麦 (wheat flour) is a very common phrase.

Avoid confusing 小麦 with other grains like 玉米 (corn) or (rice). Each grain has its own specific term.

Example Sentences

China is one of the largest wheat producers in the world.

Wheat flour is the main ingredient for making bread and noodles.

This year's wheat harvest is much better than last year's.