major incident; major happening; big scandal
to shine brilliantly; to shine radiantly
creche; day nursery; day-care center
several years; a few years
to make a lovely picture; to be perfect for a picture; picture-perfect; picturesque
growth period; growing season
change; alteration; difference; distinction; something wrong; abnormality
contour; outline; summary; outline; looks; features
featureless (face); expressionless; flat; flat (terrain); smooth
dimly; faintly; absentmindedly; vacantly; idly; aimlessly
what with this and that; for a number of reasons
to become thin; to lose weight; to slim; to become impoverished (of soil); to become sterile; to become infertile
to imitate; to copy; to enter someone as a candidate; to press (e.g. a weapon against someone's back); to compare; to liken
to feel gloomy; to feel blue; to feel melancholy
lower grades of primary school (first, second, and sometimes third grades)
various; a variety of; all sorts of; many (different)
nonsense; no meaning; meaningless
to play around; to gallivant about
absorbed in; immersed in; forgetting oneself; daze; within a dream; while dreaming
calling by name; designation; nomination
to mope; to brood; to be in low spirits; to have the blues
life; lifetime; career; for life; all one's life; throughout one's life
it's no big deal; it's no problem; it's nothing to worry about; safe (and sound); all right
junior high school student; middle school pupil
to smirk; to grin broadly
to constrict one's chest; to wring one's heart; to wrench one's heart
absolutely; positively; decidedly
in the same way as; just like
to shine on; to illuminate; to compare (with); to refer to
early-morning treat (traditionally given to children in some parts of Japan); wake-up sweet
unpleasant; awkward; embarrassing; uneasy
to ascend (as a natural process, e.g. the Sun); to rise; to be promoted
sleeping in late; oversleeping; late riser; sleepyhead
to hurry (up); to urge on; to press; to rush
to fold (clothes, umbrella); to close (a shop, business); to vacate
brightly colored; vivid; colorful; colourful; brilliant; radiant