person with whom to speak; someone to talk to; companion; advisor; adviser
to play a central role; to take a leading part
early on; earlier on; from early
one yen; throughout (an area); whole district
mother-in-law; foster mother; step mother
service; duty; business; Buddhist religious services
each house; every house; many houses
malicious gossip; backbiting; speaking ill behind someone's back
to fear; to doubt; to have misgivings about; to worry about; to be anxious about; to be apprehensive about
father-in-law; foster father; stepfather
love story; romance; love affair
being extremely fond of; having a weakness for; having no eye for; being a poor judge of; having no chance (of succeeding)
to set one's mind on doing; to get the idea of doing; to make up one's mind
same generation; one's generation
other party; opposite party; opposing team; one's opponent; one's adversary
university student; college student
taking over; handing over; transfer of control; inheriting; passing on the baton
feminine; womanly; female
incessant talking; rapid talking
to leave alone; to leave as is; to ignore; to neglect
pit of one's stomach; bottom of one's heart; one's true feelings; one's innermost thoughts
table; desk; counter for tables, desks, etc.; offering table before an altar (sometimes used in tea ceremony); tabletop incense burner
photo book (esp. one featuring photos of female celebrities, models); photobook
these days; nowadays; now; at present; recently; lately
to be curious; to wonder; to marvel
handsome young man; Adonis
resting one's chin in one's hands; brace (in construction); angle brace
immense; awesome; enormous; terrific
technological development
senior advisor; chief advisor
unification; bringing together; generalization; control; supervision
leaving everything up to someone else
farming out (all of a project) to subcontractors; hundred-percent outsourcing; leaving (a responsibility) entirely to someone else; offloading (a problem, work, etc.); wholesale delegation
to evaluate; to appraise; to comment on
whispered conversation; whispering
diplomacy; selling (e.g. door-to-door); canvassing