near; close; beside; attendant; retainer; vassal
lifeline; safety rope; safety tether
clear weather; cloudless weather; good weather
early summer; fourth month of the lunar calendar
messy; untidy; disorderly; higgledy-piggledy
you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs; you can't solve a problem without making some sacrifice
to paint over heavily; to plaster up
taste; smooth talking; reception; hospitality
moderate; proper; just right
recommendation; endorsement
to blurt out; to let slip; to say inadvertently; to come out with (e.g. nonsense)
training; education; stocking up; laying in; preparation (e.g. ingredients); girl studying to become a geisha
the trouble is that ...; the problem is that ...; unfortunately; annoyingly
to take measures (against); to take steps
arrangements; plan; programme; program; preparations
dyspepsia; indigestion; weak digestion
busy; having no (free) time
cost-cutting; cost reduction
waste (of money, time, etc.); squandering; frittering away
cannot be avoided (of a problem, etc.); unavoidable; inevitable
shy; diffident; retiring; reserved
to forestall; to beat to the punch; to anticipate; to play the first move (e.g. in go)
cloudy sky; overcast sky; cloudy weather
exactly; nicely; to a tee; to be fitting
chignon (ladies' hairstyle)
shy; bashful; timid; reserved
effect; result; worth; use; avail
being amazed; being horrified; being taken aback
manner; demeanour; demeanor; bearing
in a lively way; vividly; freshly; animatedly; actively; energetically
irregular; atypical; anomalous; anomalistic; abnormal
to take offense (at); to take offence (at); to feel hurt (by)
as if nothing had happened
don't worry about it; forget about it
to dig up; to expose; to disclose