node, season, period, occasion, verse, clause, stanza, honor, joint, knuckle, knob, knot, tune, melody
節 centers on a point of connection or division: a physical joint or knot, a segment of time like a season or period, a unit of writing like a verse or stanza, or a musical phrase. The idea of a bounded, articulated unit ties these meanings together.
節 combines 竹 (bamboo) with 即, which likely contributes the sound. Bamboo has distinct joints along its stalk, giving the core meaning of a node or joint, which extended metaphorically to segments of time, writing, and music.
The top 竹 is bamboo, and the bottom 即 suggests a kneeling person approaching food. Picture a bamboo stalk with its clearly marked joints: each segment is a 節, a node that can represent a unit of time, a verse, or a melody.
For セツ, imagine a bamboo joint being cut with a sharp set of shears: set -> セツ, and the shears cleanly separate one bamboo segment from the next.
season; time of year
joint; knuckle
occasion; time
economising; saving
joint
regulation; adjustment; control
turning point; critical juncture
setsubun; last day of winter in the traditional Japanese calendar (usu. February 3 or 4) on which a bean scattering ceremony is held
saving electricity; power saving; reducing electricity usage; reducing power consumption
one passage; one paragraph; one stanza; one verse; one section (of a piece of music); one syllable
tax reduction; tax avoidance; tax planning
hip joint; coxa
undulating melodic ornamentation or embellishment, esp. in folk and popular songs
bar; measure
moderation; standard
katsuobushi; pieces of sliced dried bonito
meddling; meddlesomeness; nosiness; interference; officiousness
envoy; ambassador; delegate; emissary; mission
integrity; fidelity; constancy; principle; faithfulness; honor; honour
Doll's Festival (March 3); Peach Festival