麹
malt, yeast
Readings
On'yomi
- キク
Kun'yomi
- こうじ
Meaning
麹 centers on the fermenting agents used in brewing: malt and yeast. Both meanings share the idea of a starter culture that transforms grains into alcohol or other fermented products.
Most common words using 麹
- 麹こうじ
kōji; malted rice; malt; malt-like material from growing mold on rice, barley, beans, etc. (used as a starter to make sake, miso, soy sauce, etc.)
- 麹菌こうじきん
koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae)
- 味噌麹みそこうじ
kōji used to make miso
- 塩麹しおこうじ
salted kōji (traditional condiment)
- 白麹菌しろこうじきん
Aspergillus kawachii; Aspergillus awamori var. kawachi; white kōji mould, used in shōchū production
- 種麹たねこうじ
fermentation starter; yeast starter; seed malt
- 米麹こめこうじ
kōji; malted rice
- 紅麹べにこうじ
Monascus purpureus (species of mold); ang-khak
- 紅麹黴べにこうじかび
Monascus purpureus (species of mold); ang-khak
- 製麹せいきく
koji production
- 麦麹むぎこうじ
barley kōji
- 麹カビこうじかび
koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae)
- 麹塵きくじん
yellow-green tinged with grey
- 麹塵の袍きくじんのほう
emperor's informal robes
- 麹室こうじむろ
room for producing kōji
- 麹漬けこうじづけ
fish, meat, vegetables, etc. pickled in kōji and salt; food pickled in malted rice
- 黒麹菌くろこうじきん
Aspergillus niger; Aspergillus awamorii; black koji mold
Study
Etymology
麹 is the modern simplified form of 麴. The older form combines 麥 (wheat) with 匊, which likely contributes the sound and relates to fermenting grains. The modern form replaces 麥 with 麦.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 麦 (wheat) and the right side 匊 (a container-like shape) suggest wheat being enclosed and transformed. Picture wheat grains sealed in a jar, fermenting into malt or yeast.
Reading mnemonic
For キク, imagine a brewer adding a kick of yeast to the wheat: kick -> キク, and the fermentation starts.