Translation guide
Ground barley refers to barley that has been milled or crushed into smaller pieces, ranging from coarse meal to fine flour. In Japanese cooking, it is most commonly encountered as pressed or rolled barley (oshi-mugi) or as barley flour (mugi-ko).
Barley that has been coarsely ground, similar to cornmeal or grits, often used in porridge or as a rice extender.
Pressed or rolled barley, the most common form of ground barley in Japan. It is steamed and flattened, then often added to rice for cooking.
Cook pressed barley mixed with white rice.
Cracked or cut barley, coarsely ground into small pieces. Less common than pressed barley but used in soups and stews.
Add cracked barley to the soup.
Barley that has been finely ground into flour, used for baking, noodles, or thickening.
Barley flour. Can be used in baking or to make noodles, though wheat flour is more common.
Make bread with barley flour.
Specifically barley flour (as opposed to wheat flour). More precise than 麦粉, which can sometimes refer to wheat flour in certain contexts.
Barley flour is low in gluten.
Referring to ground barley in a general sense, such as in recipes or when shopping.
Literally 'ground barley'. A descriptive phrase that can be used when the specific type (meal vs. flour) is not important or is clear from context.
Buy ground barley.
In Japanese supermarkets, 'ground barley' almost always refers to 押し麦 (oshi-mugi), which is steamed and rolled barley. If you need barley flour, specify 麦粉 (mugi-ko) or 大麦粉 (oomugi-ko).
The direct translation '挽いた大麦' is understandable but not commonly used as a product name. Use the specific terms above for natural communication.