before it happens; previously
to make a mess of; to sacrifice; to waste
combination; union; binding; bond
very interesting; of absorbing interest; having a keen interest (in); being immensely curious (about)
in all respects; in every way; whatsoever
conclusion; decision; judgement; affirmative
ugly; unattractive; unsightly; unseemly
only because ...; definitely not; certainly not; if actually
another time; again; over again; formally; especially; intentionally
to come to (a serious state); to reach
to glare at; to scowl at; to stare intensely at; to examine carefully; to estimate; to guess
black curtain; wirepuller; mastermind; backroom manipulator
investigation (e.g. academically, of the unknown); close inquiry (enquiry)
to haul in (hand over hand); to pull in; to draw in; to trace (history, threads of a story, etc.); to retrace (e.g. memories); to go over
any; at all; in the least; even in a slight degree; ever
useless; futile; unnecessary; needless; not on business; unrelated
Manchurian Incident (1931); Mukden Incident
Bonin white-eye (Apalopteron familiare)
ward; borough; city (in Tokyo); district (e.g. electoral); section; zone (e.g. postal)
residence; abode; dwelling
ronin; masterless samurai; high school graduate waiting for another chance to enter university after having failed the yearly entrance examination; person out of work; jobless person; (arch.) wanderer
sharp-eared; keen-eared; quick-eared
approximately; about; promise; appointment; shortening; reduction
100,000; hundred thousand
to profit; to get; to have (bear, beget) a child; to have a stroke of luck
same person; said person; the person in question; coterie; clique; dōjin
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japanese newspaper)
September; ninth month of the lunar calendar
twenty-eighth day of the month; twenty-eight days
unique flavor (flavour); (degree of) flavouring; distinctive quality; special charm
at hand; on hand; way of moving one's arms; skill; money at hand; pocket money
namely; that is (to say); in other words
to abandon; to give up on; to desert
base (of a plant, tree, pillar, etc.); (part near the) root; roots (of one's hair); root (e.g. of a problem); source
investigation (e.g. by police or prosecutors); examination; inquiry; enquiry
through; throughout; in the course of; all over or throughout (e.g. a place)
Emperor Jinmu; legendary founding Emperor of Japan