Translation guide
The English word "grain" covers several distinct concepts: cereal crops and their seeds, a tiny particle, the texture of wood or stone, and a unit of weight. Each meaning maps to different Japanese words.
Referring to grains as food or agricultural products, such as wheat, rice, barley, etc.
General term for cereal grains as a category. Used in contexts like agriculture, trade, and cooking.
Japan imports much of its grain.
Another general term for grains, often used in nutritional or scientific contexts.
Grains are an important source of carbohydrates.
Specifically rice (uncooked grains). In Japanese context, often the default grain.
This rice is from Niigata.
Refers to barley, wheat, oats, rye – broadly 'wheat/barley' grains. Often used in compounds.
Barley is an ingredient in beer.
Talking about one individual grain, like a grain of rice or wheat.
Describing a small hard particle, like a grain of sand or salt.
Referring to the natural lines or fibers in materials like wood or meat.
Specifically the grain of wood. Also written 木理.
This desk has a beautiful wood grain.
General word for grain, texture, or pattern in materials. Often used in compounds.
Refers to the surface texture or grain, especially of wood or leather.
Referring to the very small unit of mass, often used for bullets or precious metals.
While 粒 (つぶ) is the go-to for small particles and seeds, it is not used for the texture of wood. Use 木目 (もくめ) or 目 (め) instead.
In many everyday contexts, when English says 'grain', Japanese may default to 米 (こめ) if the context is food. For general agricultural talk, 穀物 is safer.
This variety has large grains.
This stone has a fine grain.
A design that makes use of the leather's grain.