Japan and the Philippines
town originally built around a temple or shrine
having a wife; marrying (a woman); marriage
carefree; optimistic; careless; reckless; heedless; happy-go-lucky
900; nine hundred; (arch.) fool; (arch.) idiot
desperation; despair; self-abandonment
severe; strict; hard (to do); difficult; intense (e.g. cold); harsh (weather)
acutely (feel); keenly; severely; tightly; hard
to see the light of day; to be revealed (to the world); to be realized
like this; in this way; as you see
heavy snow; "major snow" solar term (approx. Dec. 7)
to pile up; to accumulate; to estimate
white hair; grey hair; gray hair
when it comes to ...; if one were to speak of ...; by ... you mean ...; when you say ... you mean that ...; whenever ...; if it's ... then (without fail)
concrete; material; definite
overturning; capsizing; overthrow (e.g. of a government)
New Year's greetings; New Year's call; New Year's gift
devising (a way); contriving; device; design; dedication to spiritual improvement (esp. through Zen meditation)
round-necked robe worn by members of nobility and the imperial court
that's the way it is; such is life
kimono; Japanese traditional clothing (esp. full-length); clothing; clothes
to put on (coat, gown, etc.)
one by one; one at a time; in turn
even if; (it doesn't matter) whether (A or B or ...); whatever; should
gold paper; gold cloth; ground of gold (e.g. on folding screen)
tatami mat; Japanese straw floor coverings
drawing room; study; publishing house; writing alcove
shoji (paper sliding door)
fusuma; Japanese sliding screen
structure; construction; posture (e.g. in martial arts); pose; readiness; determination