position on the fingerboard (of a shamisen, koto, etc.)
Specific musical term referring to the correct finger placement on the neck or fingerboard of traditional Japanese string instruments.
Learning the finger positions on the shamisen is difficult.
Figurative extension from the musical sense: the most important or critical part of a matter. Often used in phrases like 勘所を押さえる (to grasp the key point).
Please explain the crux of the issue.
He really understands the key points of the job.
要点 is a more general and formal term for 'main point' or 'gist', while 勘所 carries a nuance of intuitive grasp or critical spot, often used in practical or skill-based contexts.
急所 literally means 'vital point' in a physical or martial sense (e.g., pressure point), and can also be used figuratively for a weak point or crucial part. 勘所 is less about vulnerability and more about the essential part to focus on.
Standard kanji spelling for both the musical and figurative senses.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling sometimes used for readability.
Alternate kanji spelling using 肝 (liver/vital organ), emphasizing the 'vital point' nuance. Less common than 勘所.
Rare alternate kanji spelling. 甲 can refer to the shell of a string instrument, but this form is seldom used.
Compound of 勘 (intuition, perception) and 所 (place). Originally referred to the positions on a shamisen or koto fingerboard that a player must intuitively learn; later extended to mean any crucial point.