1.
grain of rice; rice grain
A single grain of rice. Also used figuratively as an image of something extremely tiny.
茶碗に米粒が残っている。
There are grains of rice left in the bowl.
米粒を一つも残さず食べなさい。
Eat every last grain of rice.
飛行機から見ると、人が米粒のように小さく見えた。
From the airplane, the people looked as tiny as grains of rice.
Compound of 米 (uncooked rice) + 粒 (grain). Commonly used in the simile 米粒のよう (like a grain of rice) to describe something very small.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 米粒を残す: leave grains of rice (uneaten)
- 米粒ほどの大きさ: the size of a grain of rice
- 米粒のように小さい: as small as a grain of rice