melodic ornamentation; vocal embellishment
Refers to the undulating, melismatic vocal technique used in Japanese folk songs (民謡) and enka, where a single syllable is sung over several notes. Often described as a quavering or wavering of the voice.
Her singing has a distinctive vocal ornamentation.
unit of timber measurement
A traditional Japanese unit for measuring the volume of timber, roughly equivalent to one cubic shaku (about 0.0278 cubic meters). Rare in modern usage outside historical or specialized contexts.
In the past, timber was counted in kobushi units.
When singing folk songs, it's important to use kobushi skillfully.
The musical sense likely derives from the shape of a small knot or joint (節) in bamboo, metaphorically applied to the undulating movement of the voice. The timber measurement sense is a specialized use of the same kanji, referring to a small section or segment of wood. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.