to crack; to develop a crack
extensive knowledge; erudition
absorption; giving undivided attention; devoting oneself (to)
to be irritated; to get annoyed; to lose one's patience
derailment; digression; deviation
main question; real issue at hand
to pile up; to stack up; to accumulate
straw bag; sack; bale; counter for sacks (of rice, potatoes, coal, etc.)
pillow; bolster; introduction (e.g. to a rakugo story); lead-in
bottom of the ocean; seafloor; seabed; undersea; submarine
eruption; volcanic eruption
to let fly; to make fly; to skip over; to leave out; to run fast; to drive fast; to spray
scale; scope; plan; structure
water vapour; water vapor; steam
deep in the mountains; mountain recesses
notebook; memo pad; certificate; identification card
year; age; years; past one's prime; old age
poor crop; bad harvest; crop failure; low quality (e.g. of literary works)
clearly; plainly; distinctly; decisively; flatly; definitely
origin of a word; derivation of a word; etymology
Shiji; Shih-chi; The Historical Records (ancient Chinese historical record)
Ministry of State (Zhou-dynasty China)
book; document; calligraphy (esp. Chinese); penmanship; handwriting; letter
incidentally; at the same time
tower; tall building; turret; lookout; (arch.) brothel
to model on; to make in the shape of; to represent; to symbolise
and so on; and so forth; et cetera; comment; criticism
large; big; older; senior; final; ultimate
common orient clam (Meretrix lusoria)
castle town; fortified town
to become (a state, condition, etc.)
again; once more; also; too; on the other hand; while; and
Toriyama Sekien (1712-1788)
to write down; to record; to register
solemn (ceremony, atmosphere, etc.); austere; grave; majestic; dignified; stately
extremely familiar; very well-acquainted
suspicious-looking; shady; questionable; dubious; fishy