to be quick-witted; to be quick-thinking
children grow up watching their parents
an issue being settled; a case being closed
mochi; small rice cake made from glutinous rice
greeting; a fine thing to say
to be able to eat; to be able to swallow
soup containing rice cakes and vegetables (New Year's dish)
osechi; osechi-ryōri; traditional food eaten during the New Year's holidays
excessive drinking and eating; overeating and overdrinking
completely satisfied; as pleased as can be
gait; walk; stride; trace (e.g. of route taken by hunted criminal); track; trail
two reams (of paper); 1000 sheets (of paper); stanza; verse; tribe (in taxonomy); forecast (bet); bet which predicts the top 2 finishers (i.e. quinella or perfecta bet)
New Year's pine decorations
visitor (to a shrine or temple)
sparse; thin; scattered; straggling; sporadic
to head home; to leave for home
running errands (for someone else); errand boy; gofer; dogsbody
lapis lazuli; lapis lazuli (color); beryl; mall blue passerine bird (esp. the blue-and-white flycatcher and the Siberian blue robin, but also the red-flanked bluetail); glass
several people; a few people
beginning of the year; new year; New Year's call; New Year's greetings
dressed up (in fine clothes)
half-cooked; vague; halfhearted; indecisive
(short) rest; breather; break
counter for birds or rabbits
one turn; spinning around; complete change; reversal; (an) about-face
to hurry (up); to press; to urge on
to stand side by side; to stand in a row
(on a) closer look; closer scrutiny; second look
unclear speech; garbled speech; poor enunciation; poorly expressed; unclear (wording); imprecise (expression)
word root (smallest portion of a larger word that holds meaning)
completely; entirely; wholly
ankle; malleolus; ankle bone
overcoat; greatcoat; cloak; wrap; mantle
kindergartener; preschooler
to wait on someone hand and foot; to take personal care of someone
river; stream; River; the ... river