1.
pressure point (in acupressure or massage)
A specific point on the body used in acupuncture, acupressure, and massage to relieve tension or pain. Often written in katakana.
2.
the right spot; the key point; what makes (someone) tick
Figuratively, the precise point that hits the mark — what triggers laughter, what works, or the essential point of a topic. Common in the idiom ツボに嵌まる.
Usually written in katakana (ツボ) in both senses, though the underlying kanji is 壺. The acupuncture sense (sense 1) is the original; the figurative use (sense 2) extends from the idea of a precise spot that produces a result.
Common collocations
- ツボを押す: press a pressure point
- ツボにはまる: hit the spot; crack (someone) up
- ツボを押さえる: grasp the key points
- 笑いのツボ: what makes someone laugh; one's sense of humor
Usage
Not to be confused with 坪 (a unit of area, ~3.3 m²) or 壺 (a pot or jar).