How to say "ear" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 耳みみnounThe word for the organ of hearing on the side of the head, in people and animals alike; this is the choice when you mean the body part rather than anything botanical.
- 穂ほnounCovers only the botanical sense: the grain-bearing head or spike of a cereal plant, which English likewise calls an 'ear'; think of ripening grain in a field, never the organ of hearing.
耳 is the word for the organ of hearing on the head, while 穂 refers only to the grain-bearing head of a cereal plant; the two senses are entirely separate.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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