noun
Only with reading つぶ / つび / つぼ
Refers to a small, often roundish particle or piece of something, such as a grain of rice, a bead of sweat, or a drop of liquid.
ご飯粒がテーブルに落ちている。
A grain of rice has fallen on the table.
額に汗の粒が光っている。
Beads of sweat are glistening on his forehead.
counter
counter for small round objects
Used to count small, often roundish items such as grains, seeds, pills, drops, or beads. The reading is つぶ.
この薬は一日に三粒飲んでください。
Please take three pills of this medicine a day.
大豆を十粒まいた。
I planted ten soybeans.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
粒状 is a technical term meaning 'granular' or 'in grain form', used mainly in scientific or industrial contexts, while 粒 is the everyday word for a grain or small round object.
The kanji 粒 combines 米 (rice) and 立 (stand), suggesting a standing grain of rice. The reading つぶ is native Japanese, while りゅう is the on'yomi used in compounds. The exact derivation of つぶ is uncertain.