kobe
kobe Lexical Profile
• noun
A major port city in Japan, located in Hyogo Prefecture on the island of Honshu, known for its scenic harbor, cosmopolitan culture, and recovery from a devastating 1995 earthquake.
"We took the bullet train from Tokyo to Kobe to explore the historic harbor and the local breweries."
A highly prized, intensely marbled, and exceptionally tender variety of Wagyu beef produced exclusively from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle raised in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
"For their anniversary dinner, they ordered a seared cut of authentic Kobe, which practically melted in their mouths."
American A highly accurate, dramatic, or ambitious throw of an object into a target (such as tossing a crumpled paper ball into a trash can), named in honor of basketball legend Kobe Bryant.
"He attempted a long-distance kobe from across the classroom, sinking the paper perfectly into the recycling bin."
Word Nuance & Usage
Always capitalized when referring to the Japanese city or the specific geographic designation of Wagyu beef; however, it is frequently lowercased in colloquial slang when describing an accurate throw of an object into a target.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Japanese city of Kobe (神戸, literally 'door of the gods'). The beef is named after the city, which is the capital of Hyogo Prefecture where the cattle are raised. The modern slang usage is an eponymous tribute to the late American basketball player Kobe Bryant.