tokonoma; alcove where art or flowers are displayed
sakaki (species of evergreen sacred to Shinto, Cleyera japonica); evergreen (esp. one planted or used at a shrine)
staff with plaited paper streamers
to write (e.g. a letter); to draw up (a document); to take down (e.g. notes); to have (lunch, dinner, etc.); to eat
to hang up (e.g. a coat, a picture on the wall); to let hang; to put on (e.g. a blanket); to put on top of; to put on (glasses, etc.); to wear (a necklace, etc.); to make (a call)
to flicker; to quiver; to waver; to sway
faint; indistinct; dim; vague; subtle; delicate
in comparison with; when compared with; according to; in light of; in view of
to get moldy (mouldy); to get musty; to develop mildew
strong smell of grass (esp. in summer heat)
to cense; to burn incense
centre; center; middle; capital; seat of government
to change (one's clothes)
short sleeved kimono (worn as an undergarment during the Heian period); padded silk garment
red hakama (worn by miko or noblewomen at court)
miko; shrine maiden; young girl or woman (trad. an unmarried virgin) who assists priests at shrines; medium; sorceress; shamaness
seiza; kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor, and sitting on the soles
to line up; to set up; to enumerate; to itemize; to be equal (to); to compare well (with)
one by one; one each; one at a time
to run off (fluid); to run down; to flow down
by any standard; (not) even as flattery
readiness; (mental) preparedness; resolution; determination; resignation (to one's fate)
to fall completely silent; to become still as death
outside world; physical world
isolation; segregation; separation; quarantine
loose; slack; gentle (slope, curve); slow (speed); lenient; liberal
flow (of a fluid or gas); stream; flow (of people, things); passage (of time); course (of events); (step-by-step) procedure; group of people who remain together after the end of an event
side; edge; beside; while (doing); in addition to; at the same time
to take in one's hand; to pick up; to obtain
to put on (one's head); to wear; to be covered with (dust, snow, etc.); to pour (water, etc.) on oneself; to bear (e.g. someone's debts, faults, etc.); to take (blame); to overlap (e.g. sound or color)
inside a car (train, bus, etc.)
to wake up; to awake; to perk up; to awaken (to the truth, etc.); to come to a realization; to come to one's senses
thorn; spine; splinter (esp. lodged in one's flesh); hard sharp item (esp. lodged in one's throat, e.g. fish bone); biting words
sermon; preaching; homily; remonstration; scolding; lecturing
self-deprecation; self-derision; self-mockery; laughing at oneself
least; lowest; worst; awful; horrible; at the very least
full particulars; all the details; the whole story; everything (about); from beginning to end
defeat; loss; reverse; setback
details (of an incident, event, etc.); whole story; course of events; facts; circumstances; particulars
as (one pleases, one is told, etc.); wherever (e.g. one's feet take one); according to