ear of rice; head of rice
Refers specifically to the grain-bearing part of a rice plant. Common in agricultural, seasonal, and poetic contexts.
In autumn, the ears of rice in the paddies shine golden.
I took a walk while watching the ears of rice swaying in the wind.
In autumn, the ears of rice ripen to a golden color.
The ears of rice, heavy with grain, are drooping.
The ears of rice in the rice field are swaying in the wind.
稲穂 is the everyday word for an ear of rice, while 瑞穂 is a poetic, elevated term stressing freshness and lushness, mainly seen in classical or literary contexts.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading いなほ is unambiguous.
Compound of 稲 (いな, 'rice plant') and 穂 (ほ, 'ear of grain'). The reading いなほ is a straightforward combination of the two kun'yomi.