1A pillow — bedding placed under the head when sleeping. Shape, height, and material vary by preference, and the right pillow is often discussed in terms of how it affects neck and shoulder comfort.
新しい枕に替えてから、朝起きたときの首の痛みがなくなった。
Since I switched to a new pillow, the neck pain I used to wake up with has gone away.
旅行用の小さな枕を一つ持っていくと、長距離の移動が楽になる。
Bringing a small travel pillow makes long trips a lot more comfortable.
自分に合った枕を見つけるのは意外と難しい。
Finding a pillow that's right for you is surprisingly hard.
ホテルの枕が高すぎて、なかなか寝つけなかった。
The hotel pillow was too high, so I had a hard time falling asleep.
うちの猫は、私の枕の上で寝るのが好きだ。
My cat loves sleeping on my pillow.
2An introductory lead-in or opening before the main topic. Originally a rakugo term for the storyteller's warm-up chat before the main story; by extension, the 'hook' or set-up at the start of a speech or presentation.
上手な落語家は、枕で観客の心をつかんでから本題に入る。
A skilled rakugo performer wins the audience over with the makura before moving into the main story.
プレゼンの枕として、最近のニュースに軽く触れた。
As a lead-in for my presentation, I briefly touched on some recent news.