穂 means “ear of grain, crest”

ほ · ho

Also: ear, ear (grain), head, crest (wave)

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
ほ
On'yomi (Chinese reading)
スイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 15 strokes

The story

Grain (禾) beside 恵, blessing: the ear at the top of the stalk, heavy with the year's gift. 稲穂 is an ear of rice, and the saying 実るほど頭を垂れる稲穂かな, the fuller the ear the lower it bows, praises the humble.

Used in 穂 (ho, ear of grain), 稲穂 (inaho, ear of rice), and 穂先 (hosaki, tip of an ear or brush)

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.