harvested grain; harvested rice ears
Refers to grain or rice ears that have been cut and gathered. Often used in poetic or agricultural contexts.
秋の田んぼには刈り穂が積まれている。
Harvested rice ears are piled up in the autumn paddy fields.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant spelling without okurigana.
Compound of 刈り (kari, 'cutting, reaping') + 穂 (ho, 'ear of grain').