Word
kobe
Phoneticskobe
/ˈkoʊbeɪ/
Definitions
01city in Japan
n. a large city in Japan, famous for its port and high-quality beef.
n. the capital city of Hyogo Prefecture, Japan; a major international port and the namesake of a premium variety of Wagyu beef.
“We visited Kobe during our trip to Japan to try the famous local steak.”
“The 1995 earthquake caused significant damage to the infrastructure of Kobe, though the city has since undergone extensive reconstruction.”
02shouted when throwing
interj. something you shout when you throw an object at a target, like a ball into a bin, to show you are good at it.
interj. an exclamation used while throwing an object toward a target to predict or celebrate accuracy, referencing basketball player Kobe Bryant.
“He shouted 'Kobe' as he tossed the crumpled paper into the bin from across the room.”
“The students frequently yelled 'Kobe' during their break while attempting to land plastic bottles in the recycling bin.”
Slang · American English · Informal
Teaching tip
This slang term is a tribute to the late basketball star Kobe Bryant; it is most common among younger speakers in casual settings.
Etymology
From Japanese 神(こう)戸(べ) (Kōbe).
After NBA player Kobe Bryant, emulating an earlier use of the name of Michael Jordan. Popularized by Dave Chappelle in a 2004 sketch. Kobe Bryant's parent named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.