free time; time at leisure
indescribable; inexpressible; unspeakable; indefinable; nobody can tell
painful; heartrending; trying; oppressive; suffocating; miserable
salad dressed with tofu, white sesame, and white miso
so-so; passable; now, now; there, there; my, my; oh my!
astringent; bitter; austere; elegant (and unobtrusive); sour (look); glum
if; when; when it comes to ...; as for ...; why don't you ...; why not ...
shiokara; paste made from salted fermented seafood (squid, fish entrails, etc.)
casting; cast-metal object
to open the lid; to lift a lid; to open the lid (on); to make public; to start (something); to look at the results (consequences, outcome, effect)
to sit down at the dining table (with someone); to eat with company; to share a table
face; honour; meld; lineup (of players participating in a mahjong game); attendees (e.g. at a meeting); members
how; in what way; how (much); to what extent; however (much); no matter how
class teacher; homeroom teacher; form teacher
polished rice; (uncooked) white rice
quiet (e.g. neighbourhood); peaceful; tranquil
to sell; to betray; to sell out (one's friend, country, etc.); to make (oneself) known; to establish (a reputation) for oneself; to pick (a fight, quarrel, etc.)
very; extremely; extreme; excessive; splendid; impressive
unintentionally; unconsciously; by mistake; heedlessly; against one's better judgement (judgment)
sitting together in a circle; happy circle; harmony
overlooking; looking down at; having an overhead view; having a bird's-eye view; having a high-angle view
to be (of animate objects); to exist; to stay; to be ...-ing; to have ...-ed; to be ...-ed
any; anything; whatever; I am told; I hear; I understand
real intention; true motive; true will; original intention; original purpose; original hope
softish; relatively soft; somewhat soft; on the soft side
to state; to express; to say; to tell; to mention
far away; far off; far; long ago; long before
to be at one's wits' end; to be cornered; to be in a fix; to be in a desperate situation; to be in a pinch; to be in a predicament
not only ... (but also); not just; as well as
consideration; guess; conjecture; judgement
black curtain; wirepuller; mastermind; backroom manipulator
catercorner; diagonally opposite
chikuzenni; simmered chicken and vegetables; chicken stew with taro, carrot, burdock, etc.
to put together; to gather; to collect; to scrape together
to get worse; to deteriorate; to go from bad to worse; to spoil (of food); to go bad; to perish
habit; (social) custom; practice; convention
when it comes to ...; if one were to speak of ...; by ... you mean ...; when you say ... you mean that ...; whenever ...; if it's ... then (without fail)
fully fledged; full-fledged; proper; competent; qualified; full-grown
devotion; dedication; self-sacrifice
to feign ignorance; to play dumb