investigation; examination; inquiry; enquiry; survey
strict; severe; stringent; rigorous; rigid; firm
to impose a gag order; to hush up; to order someone not to mention something
poor (living); barely continuing; just scraping along; very narrow
camouflage; disguise; pretense; feigning; masquerade
establishment; founding; incorporation (of a business)
start; commencement; beginning; initiation
even so; however; still; whereupon; even though; nevertheless
(coming to a) mutual understanding; understanding each other
system; organization; organisation; imperial command; laws; regulation
what the?; what's that?; what are you doing?; what's going on?
from the beginning; from the first; all along; of course
to increase; to add to; to augment
opportunity; chance; folding; fold; small food box (wooden or cardboard); folding in ... (two, three, etc.); counter for folded items
lower reaches (of a river); bottom; lower part; lower half (of the body, esp. the privates); feces (faeces); end
change of government; regime change
home country; one's own country; suzerain country (from the perspective of the vassal state); colonizing country; country of one's ancestors; this country
very busy (person or thing)
gradually (progress into a state); in sequence; in order; in turn
to become desperate; to give in to despair
remarkable; striking; obvious
main spindle; main shaft; linchpin; pivot; principal axis; main axis
strengthening; intensifying; reinforcement; enhancement; solidification
good offices; auspices; sponsorship; village official (during the Edo period)
establishment; founding; organization; organisation
steering; helmsman; coxswain; guidance; leadership; leader
being well versed (in); being well acquainted (with); being familiar (with); (a boy's) first ejaculation; spermarche; semenarche
enforcement; implementation; putting into practice; carrying out; operation; working (e.g. working parameters)
job hunting; job searching
to be frank with you; to tell you the truth; I'm going to lay my cards on the table
dance hall; dance floor; landing (stairs); leveling off (e.g. in the economy); period of stagnation
black and white; monochrome; good and evil; right and wrong; guilt and innocence
warm; mild; warm (of a colour); mellow; having enough money
invisibly; secretly; privately
ability; performance; efficiency
difference in temperature; difference in degrees of enthusiasm, interest, commitment, etc.
humming a tune; humming unconcernedly
firmly; absolutely; flatly; by far; far and away; by a long shot
party (political); person who is fond of; fan of
conversion (to a different religion, denomination, etc.); change (of ideology, interest, taste, etc.); switch