節ふし

ふ

し

○

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

joint; knuckle

Refers to a physical joint or knuckle on a body, or a joint-like bend in an object.

指ゆびの節ふしが痛いたい。
My finger joints hurt.

noun

tune; melody

Used for a musical phrase or a short melodic fragment, often in traditional or folk contexts.

祭まつりで聞きいた節ふしが耳みみに残のこっている。
The tune I heard at the festival is stuck in my head.

noun

node; joint; knot; knob

Botanical or wood-related: a node on a plant stem, a knot in wood, or a knob-like protrusion.

竹たけの節ふしのところで切きる。
Cut at the bamboo node.

noun

point; part

Highlights a notable or specific point in a discussion, story, or situation.

その節せつは大たい変へんお世せ話わになりました。
Thank you very much for your help on that occasion.

noun

node

physics

Physics term for a point of minimal displacement in a standing wave.

Written forms

節ふしUsage79%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
ふしUsage16%
Kana spelling used when the kanji is not needed or for clarity.
フシUsage5%
search-only kana form

Kanji

節node, season, period

Similar words

関かん節せつ
関節 is the anatomical term for a joint (e.g., knee, elbow), while 節 is a more general word for a knuckle, node, or bend.
旋せん律りつ
旋律 is a full melody or tune, whereas 節 often refers to a shorter melodic phrase or a characteristic musical turn.

Etymology

The kanji 節 originally depicts a bamboo node, and the reading ふし is a native Japanese word for a joint or segment. The musical sense likely developed from the idea of a distinct segment or phrase.