fate; destiny; predestination
to subsist; to keep on living
after a short while; not long after; soon; before long; shortly thereafter
past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
to show signs of ...; to have the appearance of ...
pretty; charming; lovely; adorable
it's been a long time; long time no see
salt; common salt; hardship; toil; saltiness; cold
first of all; to begin with; probably; most likely; more or less (satisfactory); on the whole
to take a picture; to take a photo
to take (a photograph); to record (audio or video); to film; to shoot
taking a commemorative photo
peculiarity; uniqueness; characteristic
admission (to a school or university); entrance; enrolment; enrollment; matriculation
to be by far the best; to be much better; to excel; to be exceptional; to be prominent; to be outstanding
granted that; even if; even though
idea; conception; way of thinking; approach; expression
student (esp. a university student)
thesis; essay; treatise; paper; article
very interesting; of great interest
dear (old); fondly remembered; beloved; missed; nostalgic
fragment; scrap; piece; shred
to haul in (hand over hand); to pull in; to draw in; to trace (history, threads of a story, etc.); to retrace (e.g. memories); to go over
granny; grandma; gran; old lady; old woman
taking a long time; slowness; sluggishness; lack of firmness; looseness; slovenliness
heh heh heh; tee-hee; giggle
embarrassed smile; embarrassed laugh; bashful smile
ageing; aging; senile deterioration
essence; true nature; substance; reality
to bend; to curve; to bend (the truth); to falsify; to corrupt; to sully
to pull into; to draw in; to bring in; to win over
precipitous; rugged; inaccessible; grim; severe; stern
perplexity; difficult question; difficult problem
bright light; hope; bright future; light emanating from a buddha or bodhisattva, symbolizing their wisdom and compassion
in the hospital; hospitalized
moving to a different location to start a new job; (proceeding to) new appointment
comfortable (to live in); snug; cozy; cosy
to spend (time); to pass; to overdo (esp. alcohol consumption); to drink (alcohol); to take care of; to support
head (of a household, etc.); leader; owner; proprietor; subject (of a rumour, etc.); doer (of a deed); guardian spirit (e.g. long-resident beast, usu. with mystical powers)
impudence; cheekiness; impertinence
to speak; to talk; to mediate; to act as a go-between; to put in a good word (for someone)
tea-drinking companion; crony; buddy; spouse married late in life for companionship
killing time; staving off boredom
living in peace; living a quiet life; being content with one's present position; being satisfied with one's lot
doctor's rounds (in a hospital)