caricature; cartoon; comics
tie-up; collaboration; partnership; cooperation
appearing one after another; cropping up one after another; occurring in succession
bribe; sweetener; douceur
embezzlement; misappropriation; usurpation
to wet; to moisten; to dampen
ditch; drain; groove; tread; gap (between people, countries, etc.); gulf
commonplace (of people or animals); ordinary; typical; ubiquitous; run-of-the-mill; found around every corner
off the coast; offshore; out at sea
time of emergency; (in an) emergency
notification; official notice; directive (e.g. from higher to lower levels of the administration); being well versed (in); being proficient (in)
to take the middle (between the two); to split the difference
major powers of the world; great powers
mouth of a river; lower stream
Oki (former province located on Oki Island in present-day Shimane Prefecture); Oki (island)
going east; heading eastward
second day of the month; two days
work (film, book); production; creation; turning (something) out
speculation; thinking; meditation
rest period; intermission; break time; recess
doing whatever one pleases
intake (e.g. of salt); ingestion; absorption (e.g. of new knowledge); adoption (e.g. of foreign culture); reception and protection
similarly; same (idea); same (name)
to be descended from; to inherit (a disposition, etc.) from one's ancestors
to put a burden on; to tax (e.g. strength)
thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...
newcomer; initiate; rookie