節 means “joint, season, moderation”

せつ · setsu

Also: node, period, occasion

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ふし, のっと

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

セツ, セチ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 4 · 13 strokes

The story

Bamboo (⺮) grows in segments, and each knot along the stem is a 節. The year has its joints too: 季節 are seasons, and 節分 in early February parts winter from spring with flung beans. Stopping at the right joint is 節約, saving.

Used in 季節 (kisetsu, season), 節約 (setsuyaku, saving/economizing), and 関節 (kansetsu, joint)

More from Moments & Eras

• 既 already
• 暫 temporary
• 旬 in season
• 即 immediate
• 瞬 instant
• 恒 constant
• 曽 great- (generation)
• 徐 slowly
• 疾 disease
• 頻 frequent
• 暦 calendar
• 遍 everywhere

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