to chip; to be chipped; to be missing (from a set, team, etc.); to be absent; to be lacking (in); to be short (of)
time (three times, each time, etc.); times
to shake one's head (in denial)
to recover; to rally; to improve; to carry in a different way; to change one's grip (on); to shift (a bag, etc.) from one hand to the other
to warm (up); to heat (up); to sit on (an idea, plan, etc.); to keep to oneself; to renew (an old friendship); to take for oneself
Western food; Western dish; Western cooking; Japanized Western cuisine
cat (esp. the domestic cat, Felis catus); feline; shamisen; geisha; wheelbarrow; clay bed-warmer; bottom (submissive partner of a homosexual relationship)
to invest in; to sink money into; to put into; to lay out (funds); to inject; to impregnate
eager; earnest; ardent; OFF (on switch)
sound; noise; audio; acoustics; reverberation
announcement (esp. over public-address system); official announcement; formal information release
just because; even if; even though
knowing only too well; being fully aware of
to meet; to face someone; to co-star; to appear together; to be matched; to face against
betterment; improvement; kaizen (Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement)
clanging (of a bell); jangling; ding-dong; continuously; incessantly; one after another
pleasant feeling; pleasant sensation; pleasure
kind; sort; species; species
serving (of food); helping; chilled soba served on a dish (often on a wicker basket or in a shallow steaming basket) with dipping sauce
oysters cooked in the shell
as you see; as you can see; in accordance with what you see
to be quiet (due to lack of activity); to be in a slump (of a business)
generally; in the main; (more or less) everything; all parts; ordinary; usual
very; very much; greatly; considerably; highly; exceedingly
results; record; grades; marks
superior; excellent; brilliant; outstanding
high-spec; highly competitive (on the dating scene, e.g. by having a high income, being good-looking); ticking all the boxes
construction; framework; erection; assembly; organization; organisation
business; trade; operations; sales
taking no notice (of); showing no interest (in); paying no attention (to); ignoring completely
face; honour; meld; lineup (of players participating in a mahjong game); attendees (e.g. at a meeting); members
breaking down; defeating; abolishing
uh-huh; mm-hmm; with a moan; with a groan
to become clear (water, air, etc.); to become transparent; to resonate clearly (e.g. voice); to become serene; to become tranquil; to pronounce as an unvoiced sound
carrying voice; well-projected voice
to have heard somewhere; to sound familiar
growth; development; growing up; growth (of a company, the economy, etc.)
circumference; girth; surroundings; neighbourhood; people surrounding oneself; surrounding circumstances
several people; a few people
unusual; unconventional; mold-breaking; outside the box