to degenerate; to lapse into
direct; immediate; personal; firsthand
to have an interest (in something); to feel inclined (toward doing something)
difficult to ...; hard to ...
record; document; minutes; record (e.g. in sports); setting (a record); recording (a record high, etc.)
even if not; even without
to begin to say; to start talking; to broach (a matter); to be the first to say; to suggest (doing); to propose
to lose one's way; to get lost; to waver; to hesitate; to be captivated (by); to be infatuated (with)
one (thin, flat object); one sheet
to rummage through; to ransack (e.g. a drawer); to throw into confusion; to disrupt; to upset
inside the Imperial Palace; Department of the Imperial Household
government office building
old; aged; long; since long ago; of the distant past; long-ago
the entire strength; all hands; all the members
to be full; to wax (e.g. moon); to rise (e.g. tide); to mature; to expire
unfathomable; inestimable; immeasurable
(public) notice; attention; public eye; public gaze
to touch; to feel; to touch (with); to experience; to come in contact with; to touch on (a subject); to allude to
to compete (with each other); to contend for; to vie for; to rival
quiet (place); still; silent; inconspicuously; modestly; quietly
cool-headed; level-headed; hard-headed
no sooner than; as soon as; immediately after; at the thought of; when I think about
to tie up in a bundle (e.g. straw, hair, bills, letters); to bundle; to govern; to manage; to fold (one's arms); to put together (one's hands)
one's youth; early life; one's early days; one's early years
surely; certainly; no doubt; must
oxidized silver; oxidised silver; something restrained but impressive (e.g. performance); something quiet but superb; something masterfully controlled
razor; razor-sharp (mind, intellect, etc.); keen; astute person; person of keen intellect
writing; composition; essay; sentence
furthermore; again; after all; more and more; moreover; even more
thin; slender; fine; unlucky
chair; seat; stool; post; position; seat
to act timid; to show diffidence; to be hesitant; to appear embarrassed; to look ashamed
manuscript; version; draft
novel; story; (work of) fiction
ulterior motive; plot; scheme; complicated circumstances; intricacies
recently; lately; these days
defeat; loss; failing to live up to (one's name, looks, etc.); discount; loss (on a sale)
to be crowded; to be packed; to be complex; to go into; to put into; to do intently
to spread (out); to extend; to stretch; to reach to; to get around; to fill (e.g. a space)