first Sanskrit alphabet letter; Africa; Awa (old province of Japan); (arch.) prefixed to names to show intimacy
more and more; increasingly; extremely; very
serving concurrently as; holding the additional post of
end (of an era, century); close; descendant
the five home provinces and seven districts of ancient Japan
creator (of a work); author; writer; artist; composer; playwright
very much; exceedingly; extremely
when it comes to ...; where ... is concerned; if it's the case that ...; if it turns out that ...; if it's true that ...
the most; the extreme; prime; conspicuous
first generation; founder
one school; one sect; one denomination; one party; one faction; one group
prosperity; thriving; flourishing
(so marvelous or horrible that it may be) the first and probably the last
producing (people) in great numbers; appearing one after the other
among (other things); especially; particularly; inter alia; above all (else)
working twice as hard; working day and night; doing simultaneously
firm adherence to one's principles; chastity (of a woman)
in general; generally; usually
hindrance; obstacle; harm (to one's health); bad effect; menstruation; period
strong point; forte; merit; strength
generation; lifetime; the age; the day; the first (e.g. Elizabeth I); issei
half a lifetime; half one's life; one's life so far
to think up; to think out; to knit (a pattern into a sweater, etc.); to start knitting
bitter tears; (lit.) tears of blood
crystal; crystallization; crystallisation; fruits (of labor, union, etc.)
length of a blade; walking barefoot on the edge of a sword blade (acrobatic stunt)
speaking of ...; as for ...
finish; finishing; finishing touches
each; (arch.) you (plural)
oral instruction; passing information by word-of-mouth; oral tradition
to differ; to be different; to disagree; to vary; to diverge
outside world; physical world
same law; the (said) law; same method; the (said) method
tempering (metal); annealing; forging; toughening; disciplining; training
one's time (e.g. to go on stage); one's turn; source; origin; place of production
Hōki (former province located in the central and western parts of present-day Tottori Prefecture)
congratulation; celebration
great variety of flowering plants; light greenish-blue
to recommend; to endorse (e.g. a candidate); to infer (from); to deduce; to think (something) through; to ponder deeply
Iwami (former province located in the west of present-day Shimane Prefecture)
southern part; the south (of a region)
texture; grain; one's skin (lacking makeup, etc.); natural skin; surface of the earth; bare ground
old sword; old katana; kotō; old sword; katana forged before the advent of the Keichō era