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ear of grain plant; tip of pointed object
Kanji 1460

Thank you for visiting this Character Home Page. Below you'll find a synopsis of the essay. If you wish to read the full text, the PDF of the essay is available for purchase to the right.

Synopsis

How do a cattail, calligraphy pen, and fishing rod relate to 穂? When an ear of rice hangs low, what does that figuratively mean in Japan? How about a grafted plant? Which name for Japan means “Land of Abundant Rice”? Why would a faucet be compared to a rice plant on Amazon? Which French painting related to grain is famous in Japan? Read the essay to find all these answers and more!

Revision History:

Nov. 24, 2021: 

  • p. 2, Etymology Box: Replaced the Henshall etymology with the new one.
  • p. 7: Corrected information about what I thought was a faucet but is actually a bell.
  • p. 12: Added a link to the Kanshudo games.

Oct. 8, 2018: p. 8: In the striker photo, I corrected the yomi and definition of 少女 (しょうじょ: young girl) and changed the translation of the sign accordingly.

Nov. 9, 2017: p. 2: Corrected some botanical information. A cattail starts out looking like a corn dog, then grows whitish fluff, which then blows away, leaving the seed head looking like a corn dog again!

May 19, 2017: Originally published.

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Kanji PDF
Cover of essay 1460 on 穂, titled "Tip of the Grain"
Mini Profile
JOYO ON-YOMI
スイ
JOYO KUN-YOMI
STROKES15
RADICAL禾 (115: grain)
JLPTN1
HALPERN833/1139
HENSHALL1460/1565
SPAHN5d10.2