to knead; to thicken into a paste (stirring over a flame); to polish (a plan, etc.); to refine; to train; to drill; to gloss (silk)
to take the middle (between the two); to split the difference
duplicate key; pass key; master key; skeleton key
one may well say so, but ...; even more than
to take a bath; to have a bath; to take a shower
changing clothes; change of clothes
to act as a go-between (for); to mediate; to arrange; to entertain (guests); to treat; to receive
unbearable; intolerable; unendurable
(husband and wife) both working; dual income
eldest daughter; first-born daughter
infiltration; sneaking in; going undercover
to hesitate; to have scruples; to be afraid of what others may think; to lord it over; to have great influence
chattering; talk; idle talk; chatty; talkative; chatterbox
getting closer; drawing nearer; being not much different; being near (age, skill, etc.); becoming close (i.e. friendly); becoming intimate
to yearn for; to long for; to follow (someone); to idolize (for virtue, learning, status, etc.)
to spring; to bound; to be stimulated; to be encouraged; to pay handsomely; to splurge
somehow or other; for some reason or another; without knowing why
to miss a chance to ask; to miss an opportunity to ask; to forget to ask
secret intention; ulterior motive; kanji "heart" radical at bottom
to be the ruin of (a person)
if anything; if pushed I'd say; if I had to say
to become clear; to be made public
anticlimax; let-down; disappointment; loss of interest
to be relieved; to feel relieved
mixture; jumble; cord made by entwining threads of various colours
soundly (sleeping); fast (asleep)
martial arts; military arts; Bushido
to plan; to intend; to aspire to; to set aims (sights on)
clatter; clank; rattling; capsule toy vending machine
noisy; loud; annoying; troublesome; fussy; finicky
straight to the point; point-blank; frank; direct
main question; real issue at hand
pillow; bolster; introduction (e.g. to a rakugo story); lead-in
southern Japanese hemlock (species of conifer native to Japan, Tsuga sieboldii)
blow; shock; strike; batting
martial arts which involve fighting without weapons; combat sport; one-on-one fighting sport
dojo; hall used for martial arts training; manda (place of Buddhist practice or meditation, esp. the place under the bodhi tree where Buddha attained enlightenment)