hot water; hot bath; hot spring; molten iron
district; section; sector
counter for buildings (esp. houses); suffix for a pen name, stage name, etc.
rate; ratio; profit; assignment; 10%; unit of ten percent; match
deficit operation; operating at a loss; being in the red
big; large; drastic; full-width cloth (approx. 72 cm wide for traditional Japanese clothing; approx. 140 cm wide for Western clothing)
to abate; to decrease; to diminish; to shorten
something; something or other; so-and-so; somehow; anyhow; one way or another
degree; amount; grade; standard; of the order of (following a number); about
garden; yard; courtyard; field (of action); area
long-established shop; shop of long standing; old shop
being the sole winner; winner-take-all
state; condition; situation; appearance; circumstances
stimulus; impetus; incentive; encouragement; motivation; provocation
succession; accession; inheritance
serious; severe; grave; acute
if anything; conversely; putting it the other way around; coming at it from the opposite angle
market (financial, stock, domestic, etc.); marketplace; exchange; (street) market
to enquire of someone about something (inquire); to question
small and medium-sized enterprises; small and medium-sized businesses
to succeed (someone); to take over from; to pick up the torch
middle; centre; center; midpoint; heart
prime of one's working life
to quit one's job; to resign
detailed; full; minute; knowing very well; knowledgeable (about); well-acquainted (with)
to play (games, sports); to enjoy oneself; to mess about (with alcohol, gambling, philandery, etc.); to be idle; to do nothing; to meet up (with friends); to hang out
spare time; free time; time (e.g. time it takes to do something); time off; day off; quitting (one's job); firing someone
all night; throughout the night
causing concern; (lit.) bad for the heart
by nature; from the very beginning; through and through; absolutely (not); (not) at all
something unrelated (to what has been discussed thus far)
to peep (through); to peek; to await (one's chance); to guess; to infer
your house; your home; your husband; your organization; you
bank employee; bank staff member; bank clerk
daytime; during the day; time from sunrise until sunset; diurnal period
not in one's recollection; having no recollection (of); having no memory (of)
rapid economic growth (esp. that of Japan in the post-WWII period)
company outing; company retreat
reaction; recoil; kick; backlash
poor (at); weak (in); not very good (at); not one's cup of tea; not one's favorite
heir; inheritor; successor
fraud; swindle; graft; saying you're going to do something but in the end not doing it; making promises without keeping them