to smile cheerfully; to crack a smile
being the runner-up; finishing second
flag; banner (administrative division of Inner Mongolia)
to surprise; to frighten; to create a stir
company housing; housing provided by one's company
bachelorhood; spinsterhood; celibacy; living apart from one's family; living alone; person who lives alone
things at hand; personal belongings
father and child; father and son; father and daughter
with religious zeal; with utmost devotion; take great care of
to carry around; to carry on one's person
high achiever; student with good academic results
testimonial; certificate of commendation
company outing; company retreat
identification papers; ID
pay; salary; wages; allowance; grant; supply
details; particulars; detailed; minute; detailed statement
severance payment; retirement money (usu. lump-sum); redundancy payment
to work assiduously; to give one's all; to make the utmost effort; (lit.) to make (grind) one's body into dust
to continue to work; to work away (at)
remarkable; striking; brilliant; splendid; spectacular; wonderful
essentially nonexistent; virtually nil
change of color; change of colour; fading; discoloration; discolouration
to run (of liquid); to spread; to blur; to blot; to ooze; to well up (of tears, etc.)
in the company of; accompanied by ...; as a group comprising ...; likes of ...
torii; Shinto shrine archway
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
the vertical; height; front-to-back; length; north-to-south; vertical (relationship)
to take seriously; to take someone at their word; to believe (to be true)
to all appearances; no matter how you look at it
mature; becoming precocious
to draw back; to sink; to be set back (e.g. from a road); to withdraw (e.g. from the public eye); to retire to (somewhere)
deserted village; poor village
(male) farmer; peasant; farmhand
doubting; distrustful; incredulous; suspicious
bent back; hunchback; stoop
splendor; splendour; gorgeousness; showiness; gaudiness; extravagance
poverty; need; destitution; having great difficulty with; struggling greatly with; being in distress
reasons; circumstances; significance; hindrance; obstruction; interference
to become dim; to become blurred