noun
rice flour
Fine flour made from non-glutinous rice, used in traditional Japanese confectionery.
糝粉は和菓子作りによく使われる。
Rice flour is often used in making Japanese sweets.
noun
rice flour dough
Abbreviation of 糝粉餅 (しんこもち) or similar; refers to dough made from rice flour, often shaped into dumplings or cakes.
See also: 糝粉餅
この団子は糝粉でできている。
These dumplings are made from rice flour dough.
上新粉 is a specific type of rice flour made from washed and dried non-glutinous rice, while 糝粉 is a broader term for rice flour, sometimes referring to a finer grind.
白玉粉 is made from glutinous rice and yields a chewy texture, unlike 糝粉 which is from non-glutinous rice and produces a softer dough.
The kanji 糝 means 'powder' or 'grain', and 粉 means 'flour'. The reading しんこ is likely a compound of 新 (しん, 'new') and 粉 (こ, 'flour'), referring to freshly ground rice flour. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.