fashion; fad; vogue; prevalence (e.g. of a disease)
yours sincerely; respectfully yours
speaking of ...; as for ...
national language; Japanese language (often as a school subject in Japan); native Japanese words (as opposed to loanwords)
tanka; 31-mora Japanese poem
loungewear; comfortable clothing worn at home
head; brains; intelligence
composition; constitution
camouflage; disguise; pretense; feigning; masquerade
worthless; shit; disparaging; demeaning
with a start; with a jump
to crack; to develop a crack
treason; treachery; mutiny; rebellion; insurrection
strangely shaped rocks; massive rock of unusual shape
castle (in place names); castle; fortress
whole roast (e.g. pig, turkey, etc.)
(being in) the red; deficit; red letter; red writing; corrections (by a teacher or proofreader) written in red
indeed; really; truly; very much
calvaria; area at top of head; parietal
crack; crevice; fissure; chap; rift
regrettable; unsatisfactory; deplorable; lamentable
slitheringly; wriggling, slipping and sliding
cram school; private tutoring school; juku
to compete with; to vie for
to force open; to push open
to tear off; to strip; to rob
part-time job; side job; part-time worker; albite
sounds good; sure thing; no problem
oracle; revelation; divine message
to fall into someone's hands; to place oneself in someone's power
time and time again; many times; a number of times