also: からすむぎ · カラスムギ
noun
wild oat; wild oats
Refers specifically to the weed species Avena fatua.
カラス麦は畑の厄介な雑草だ。
Wild oats are a troublesome weed in fields.
Oats are used to make oatmeal.
Full kanji spelling; less common.
えん麦 is the more common term for cultivated oats (Avena sativa), while カラス麦 can refer to both wild and cultivated species.
Literally 'crow wheat', from カラス (crow) + 麦 (wheat/barley). The name likely comes from the dark, crow-like appearance of the seeds or the plant's association with fields where crows feed.