in the first place; to begin with; after all; anyway; beginning; start
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
protection; safeguard; guardianship; preservation; conservation
country; state; region; national government; central government; home (i.e. hometown, home country); province (of Japan)
maintenance; preservation; improvement
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
military force; force of arms; strength of an army
at; in; to; toward; to; for; because of
to be; to exist; to have; to be located; to be equipped with; to happen; to come about
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; indicates a confident conclusion; indicates emotional emphasis; indicates question
prosperity and decay; prosperity and decline; rise and fall; ups and downs; ebb and flow; waxing and waning
righteousness; justice; right
rise and fall; ups and downs; welfare; vicissitudes
to become; to get; to result in; to turn out; to consist of; to be composed of; to be completed
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
bento; Japanese box lunch; Oversight Department; division of the daijokan under the ritsuryō system responsible for controlling central and provincial governmental offices
public opinion; popular voice; public sentiment; consensus
to be involved (in); to get involved (in); to relate to (a matter); to pertain to; to (seriously) affect; to concern
absolutely; completely; utterly; really; simply; only
single-minded; intent; determined; wholehearted; earnest; devoted (to)
my; one's own; I ...; one ...
loyalty; allegiance; fidelity
to protect; to guard; to defend; to keep (i.e. a promise); to abide (by the rules); to observe
morality; righteousness; meaning; teachings; doctrine; nonconsanguineous relationship (i.e. of in-laws)
mountain chain; mountains
than; in comparison to; rather than; over; above
heavy; weighty; heavy (feeling); depressed; slow; sluggish; important (position, responsibility, etc.)
death; (an) out; death penalty (by strangulation or decapitation; most severe of the five ritsuryō punishments)
something extremely light; feather of a large bird
purpose for which money is spent; the way money is spent; how goods are used
to do; to carry out; to cause to become; to make (into); to serve as; to act as; to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.)
live coals (for firelighting); cause (of disturbance, conflict, etc.); trigger
indicates the subject of a sentence; indicates possession; but; however; and; used after an introductory remark or explanation; regardless of ...
to smoke; to smoulder; to be sooty; to be smoke-stained; to smoulder (e.g. a dispute); to smolder
Shōwa era (1926.12.25-1989.1.7); reminiscent of the Shōwa era; Shōwa-nostalgic; old-fashioned
year; counter for years (e.g. of an era), grades (e.g. school); period of an apprentice's contract (usu. ten years)
(in) secrecy; behind closed doors
training; education; development; cultivation