Translation guide
Refers to rice that has had only the inedible outer husk removed, leaving the bran layer intact. In Japanese, this is most commonly called 玄米 (genmai).
To refer to unpolished rice as a food ingredient or health food.
The standard term for unpolished rice. Used in cooking, health contexts, and on packaging.
Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice.
Recently, more people are eating brown rice.
Rice with the germ intact but bran partially removed. Sometimes considered a type of unpolished rice, though technically distinct.
Germ rice is easier to eat than brown rice.
To talk about a serving or bowl of unpolished rice.
To refer to unpolished rice before modern milling, or in historical/specialty settings.
Literally 'pounded rice', referring to rice that has been hulled but not fully polished. Rare, mostly historical.
In the old days, people ate unpolished rice.
Black rice, often sold unpolished. Not a direct synonym, but sometimes encountered when looking for unpolished rice varieties.
玄米 (genmai) requires longer soaking and cooking than white rice. Many Japanese rice cookers have a 玄米 mode. If you order 玄米 at a restaurant, it will usually be 玄米ご飯.
In English, 'brown rice' often includes long-grain varieties. Japanese 玄米 is almost always short-grain Japonica rice. If you need to specify long-grain brown rice, you might say 長粒種の玄米 (chouryuushu no genmai).
定食のご飯を玄米に変更できます。
You can change the rice in the set meal to brown rice.
黒米は古代米の一種で、玄米として売られている。
Black rice is a type of ancient grain sold as brown rice.