1The ear or head of a cereal plant (such as rice or wheat) — the spike bearing the grains.
秋になると田んぼの稲穂が黄金色に輝く。
In autumn, the ears of rice in the paddies gleam golden.
風が吹くと麦の穂がさわさわと揺れた。
When the wind blew, the wheat's ears rustled and swayed.
収穫の時期には穂を丁寧に扱う必要がある。
During the harvest season, the ears need to be handled carefully.
2The tip or point of something shaped like an ear of grain — such as the bristled tip of a brush or the point of a spear.
絵筆の穂を水でよく洗ってから使いなさい。
Wash the tip of the paintbrush thoroughly in water before using it.
矛の穂がわずかに曲がっているのに気づいた。
I noticed the spear's point was slightly bent.
3The crest of a wave — the raised, topmost part of a wave on the water's surface.
沖に出ると白い穂が波の頂に見えた。
Out at sea, I could see white crests atop the waves.
強風で海は荒れ、白い穂が立っていた。
The strong wind made the sea rough, with white crests rising up.
4The scion used in grafting — the cutting or bud (also called 穂木) that is grafted onto a rootstock.
果樹の接ぎ木では丈夫な穂を選ぶことが重要だ。
When grafting fruit trees, it's important to choose a healthy scion.
温室で穂を育てて、春に接ぎ木を行った。
We raised scions in the greenhouse and grafted them in spring.