also: こうりゃん · かおりゃん
noun
kaoliang; sorghum (variety used for liquor)
Refers to a type of sorghum, especially the variety used in making Chinese-style spirits (白酒). The term is often encountered in food and drink contexts.
from Chinese gāoliang
高粱酒は中国の蒸留酒の一種です。
Kaoliang liquor is a type of Chinese distilled spirit.
この地域では高粱
In this region, liquor-making using kaoliang as the main ingredient is thriving.
Katakana spelling reflecting the Chinese-derived reading こうりゃん; common in food and liquor contexts.
Variant kanji spelling; 梁 is a common simplification of 粱.
Less common katakana variant; may appear in older or specialized texts.
モロコシ is the general term for sorghum as a crop, while 高粱 specifically refers to the variety used in liquor production, often with a Chinese association.
Borrowed from Chinese 高粱 (gāoliang). The Japanese readings こうりょう and こうりゃん reflect different adaptations of the Chinese pronunciation.