at the very beginning; first of all; first and foremost; before anything else
to become tense; to be tightened; to become firm (e.g. body)
dark (skin, complexion, etc.); swarthy; tanned
outskirts; environs (of a city); surrounding area; surroundings
close (e.g. in terms of relationship); intimate
carefully; attentively; profoundly; deeply; at length
to read out; to read aloud; to call out; to finish reading; to read through
discouragement; despondency; dejection; disappointment
to come down; to go down; to hang; to dangle; to move back; to step back; to deteriorate
dissatisfaction; discontent; displeasure; complaint; unhappiness
suspicion (of others); jealousy
to give birth; to bear (child); to lay (eggs); to produce; to yield; to give rise to
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
beginning; start; clue; lead; thread end
determination; esprit de corps
to raise; to lift; to boost; to enhance
to do for (the sake of someone else)
1000 ri; (a) long distance
to take (someone) by surprise; to do something unexpected
query; interrogation; enquiry; question; inquiry
learning; scholarship; study; study of ...; -ology; -ics
1000 ri; (a) long distance
implication; nuance; shade of meaning; connotation
proverb; saying; aphorism; maxim
admiration; being impressed; admirable; praiseworthy; astonishment; being appalled
popular (among the general public); populist; plebian; low-brow; widely liked
national language; Japanese language (often as a school subject in Japan); native Japanese words (as opposed to loanwords)
exactly as stated; verbatim
academic background; academic credentials; academic record
complex; inferiority complex; complex (of buildings, facilities, etc.)
home area; home town; local
exterior; outside; outer; external; lateral
guidance; leading; induction; introduction; incitement; inducement
mostly; ordinarily; probably; most; almost all; ordinary
junior high school graduate; middle school graduate
work; labor; achievement; performance; salary; income
(just) out of curiosity; (just) in order to satisfy one's curiosity; aimed chiefly at amusing; sensational (e.g. magazine)
to come; to go; to be (somewhere); to be (doing)
to hold one's tongue; to shut up
to throw away; to cast away; to abandon; to desert; to give up; to resign