The original meaning in the People's Republic of China of the character '餅' (which, in Japan, is read as 'mochi' or 'hei' or 'bei' depending on use and means a rice cake) is the whole range of foods made by mixing with water the flour of wheat, millet, mung beans and the like, then being kneaded and formed into a flat shape.
「餅」という字は、もともと中華人民共和国では主に小麦粉、アワ、リョクトウなどの粉を水で練って、平たく成形した食品全般を指す。