1.
ear of rice, rice head
The grain-bearing tip of a rice plant, often seen bending as the rice ripens.
稲穂が黄金色に輝いている。
The ears of rice are shining golden.
秋になると稲穂が垂れる。
In autumn, the ears of rice droop.
実るほど頭を垂れる稲穂かな。
The more the rice ripens, the more it bends its head.
A famous proverb meaning that the wiser a person becomes, the more humble they are.
稲穂 is a poetic and culturally significant word in Japanese.
WORD FORMATION:
稲 (rice plant) + 穂 (ear, head of grain)
CULTURAL NOTE:
The proverb "実るほど頭を垂れる稲穂かな" teaches that accomplished people remain humble, just as rice bows lower as it becomes heavier with grain.