solid; strong; sturdy; durable; stout
unaffected and sincere, with fortitude and vigor (vigour)
beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning; initially
dreary; bleak; monotonous; tasteless; unrefined
first generation; founder
king; ruler; tycoon; magnate; king (of the senior player)
diligent study; devoting oneself to one's studies
to invest in; to sink money into; to put into; to lay out (funds); to inject; to impregnate
successive generations; successive emperors
reputation; respectability; honour; honor
chief vassal; senior statesman
pains; hard work; effort; trouble; labour; labor
retainer; subject; vassal; servant
various countries; various regions; various provinces
stopping (of a train, car, etc.); stop
inside of a castle; area surrounded by castle walls
to work (for, at, in); to be employed (at); to finish (a term); to serve (e.g. a sentence); to conduct (a ceremony); to perform (a Buddhist memorial service)
to live under another's roof; to become a dependent on; to flatten oneself (against); to lean in close to
restless; fidgety; in a hurry
posterity; future generations; future life
photograph; photo; picture; moving picture; movie
to hang (something) on the wall
historical; traditional; historic
to be able (to); to be possible (to)
countryside people (in town); visitor from the country; out-of-towner; country bumpkin (visiting the big city); yokel
leading aristocrat; great house; grand seigneur; boyar
(arch.) retainer; (arch.) attendant; (arch.) Omi (hereditary title; orig. one of the two highest such titles, later demoted to sixth highest of eight); I; me
to spur (on); to expedite; to encourage
young lady of noble birth; princess (esp. in Western contexts, tales, etc.); girl; small; cute; (arch.) prostitute
to lie deep in; to extend far back
tatami mat (esp. as a measure of room size, either 1.82 sqm or 1.54 sqm)
living; lifestyle; living room
to insert; to put in; to come in (of light); to shine in; to have a griping pain (in the stomach, chest, etc.)
(not) so; (not) particularly; (not) very; (not) that much
to become an expert; to be a master (of)
to head home; to leave for home