(death from) starvation; starving to death
to carry on one's back; to be burdened with; to take responsibility for; to have (something) in the background; to be in front (of something); to be conceited
selection; choice; option
hard to say; inexpressible; hesitant to say; embarrassing; delicate
readiness; preparedness; resolution; resignation
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
more and more; all the more; at last; finally; (at the) last moment; worst possible time
to prepare oneself for the worst; to strengthen one's resolve; to accept one's fate; to prepare oneself
choices; alternatives; options
tail (animal, kite, comet, etc.); tail end; slope at the foot of a mountain
to bite each other; to fit together; to mutually encroach; to eat together
snake; serpent; large snake
loitering; roaming; sauntering; wandering about; prowling
to imitate; to copy; to enter someone as a candidate; to press (e.g. a weapon against someone's back); to compare; to liken
old; aged; long; since long ago; of the distant past; long-ago
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
to turn one's head; to look over one's shoulder; to turn around; to think back (on); to reminisce; to look back (on)
sleepy; drowsy; somnolent
to stand (still) a while; to loiter; to stop
being devoted; spending all one's time and energy on
to succeed; to relieve; to take the place of; to substitute for; to be exchanged; to change (places with)
taking on one's share (e.g. of work); dividing (work, expenses, etc.) between; apportionment; allotment; allocation; assignment
long ago; already; a long time ago
to exchange (messages, greetings, arguments, etc.); to intersect; to cross; ... with one another; ... to each other
comparatively; relatively; unexpectedly; unusually; considering; for one's ...
cruel; heartless; violent; intense; very bad; terrible
to look (sound, behave) grown-up; to be adult-like; to mature
good story; heartwarming story; good prospect (e.g. marriage, business)
to deceive; to falsify; to dodge; to beg the question (issue, difficulties); to varnish over; to gloss over
to get into a panic; to be flustered; to panic; to get in a flap
sexual feeling; carnal desire; physical feeling
certain; unmistaken; evident; obvious; beyond doubt
to present; to dedicate; to obey; to follow; to proudly bear
to bend; to flutter; to wave; to yield to; to be swayed by; to bow to
soft; tender; gentle; mild; informal; light
optical illusion; hallucination; misapprehension; delusion
contours of one's body; figure
to bewitch; to confuse; to enchant; to delude