awn; glume
Botanical term for the bristle-like appendage (awn) or the bract (glume) of grasses and grains. Rare in everyday language; typically encountered in agricultural or botanical texts.
The awn of rice is the slender projection at the tip of the husk.
小麦の穎は品種によって長さが異なる。
The awn length of wheat varies by variety.
caryopsis
gaining recognition; rising above one's peers
Rare kanji; mainly used in botanical contexts. The kana spelling えい is more common in modern writing.
Kana spelling is practical for learners and common in general usage.
The kanji 穎 is composed of 禾 (grain) and 頃 (approximate time), but the exact historical derivation is uncertain. It is used in Chinese and Japanese botanical terminology for the awn or glume of grains.