busy; hectic; hurried; rapid; quick; sudden
to follow in succession; to happen one after another
from the beginning; from scratch
early days; early years; early stages; initial stages; beginning
twilight (traditionally regarded as a time when accidents and disasters are frequent)
dead of night; middle of the night; midnight; third quarter of the hour of the ox (2-2:30am, or 3-3:30am)
dramatic decrease; sharp drop; sudden fall
section chief; laboratory manager; office head; room monitor
ward; borough; city (in Tokyo); district (e.g. electoral); section; zone (e.g. postal)
to play a leading role; to play a central part
inner-city area; city center
place; point; part; counter for places, parts, passages, etc.
section manager; section chief
health; healthy; sound; fit
phone extension; indoor wiring; inner line
veteran (in a particular field); person with a lot of experience; old hand
therefore; for that reason; so; because of that
often; again and again; frequently; repeatedly
equal; equivalent; equals sign; equality sign; equals (as in "A equals B")
error; mistake; slip; bug
to work (for, at, in); to be employed (at); to finish (a term); to serve (e.g. a sentence); to conduct (a ceremony); to perform (a Buddhist memorial service)
clerk; (bureau, post-office) staff
business; work; operations; service; duties
floral pattern; flourish; ornament; star (actor, player, etc.)
staff; staff member; stuffing (in Western cuisine); filling; stuff; materials
being readily aware of rumors and gossip; being quick to learn secrets; having sharp ears; ability to remember everything one hears
main; principal; main dish; main course; main part; principal part
(phonograph) record; record (esp. in sports); record (data structure)
renewal; update; replacement; renovation; breaking (a record)
February; second month of the lunar calendar
first day of spring (according to the traditional lunisolar calendar, approx. February 4)
setsubun; last day of winter in the traditional Japanese calendar (usu. February 3 or 4) on which a bean scattering ceremony is held; last day of any season (according to the traditional Japanese calendar)
4th day of the month; four days
sowing beans (or pulses, etc.); scattering parched beans (to drive out evil spirits)
first day of summer (approx. May 6)