also: あかまい
red rice; red-kerneled rice
Refers to an ancient variety of rice with red bran; also used for modern red-kerneled rice varieties. This is the primary modern meaning.
Red rice is a variety that has been cultivated since ancient times.
aged rice; browned rice
Rice that has turned brown due to age or poor storage; not a desirable quality. Less common in everyday usage.
low-quality foreign rice
Historical term for cheap imported rice, often with reddish grains, considered inferior to domestic rice. Rare in modern usage.
Aged rice that has been stored in a warehouse for a long time is not suitable for eating.
Before the war, cheap foreign rice called 'akamai' was distributed.
Standard kanji spelling; reading あかまい is more common for the rice variety, while あかごめ is an alternate reading.
Alternate reading; may be encountered in some contexts, but あかまい is more standard.
Formed from the native reading 赤（あか） and the Sino-Japanese reading 米（まい）, meaning red-colored or red-kerneled rice.