noun
fresh young rice ears; lush rice ears
Poetic term for young, vibrant ears of rice, often used in classical or literary contexts to evoke abundance and natural beauty.
秋の田に瑞穂が実る風景は、古くから詩歌に詠まれてきた。
The sight of lush rice ears ripening in autumn fields has been celebrated in poetry since ancient times.
稲穂 is the common word for 'ear of rice', while 瑞穂 is a poetic, elevated term emphasizing freshness and lushness.
From 瑞 (みず, 'fresh, youthful, auspicious') + 穂 (ほ, 'ear of grain'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination is conventionally associated with the poetic image of vibrant rice ears.