first business conducted by retailers in the New Year
strap (to hang onto); hanging strap
news (from someone); word; letter; tidings; contact
proper; respectable; decent; (arch.) entirely; (arch.) completely; (arch.) wholly
mailbox; letter box; mailbox; inbox
please excuse the intrusion; I'm coming in
without being able to help oneself; against one's will; compelling; pressing; irresistible
to rummage through; to ransack (e.g. a drawer); to throw into confusion; to disrupt; to upset
chest of drawers; bureau; cabinet; tansu; dresser
thief; burglar; robber; theft; burglary; robbery
empty nest; empty house; empty home; burglary (of an empty house); burglar (who targets empty houses)
to be unable to understand; to baffle one's understanding; to be beyond one's comprehension
this area; around here; this point; this much; this extent
wooden mosaic work; parquetry; wooden mosaic (e.g. on a piece of furniture); marquetry; marqueterie
tightly (packed); densely; closely; crammed
a great variety of; diversity
clear as day; plain as day; patently obvious; (lit.) clearer than watching a fire
fighting a good fight; putting up a good fight; fighting bravely
company outing; company retreat
Hokkaido (island, prefectural-level administrative unit)
to have a bad time; to go through a bitter experience; to get into trouble; to get hurt; to suffer
all one has; all one's possessions
mahjong gambling; playing mahjong for money
New Year's gift (usu. money given to a child by relatives and visitors)
showing no concern at all; being not at all bothered; devil-may-care attitude
on the one hand ... (and on the other ...); on one side
to see eye to eye; to be on the same wavelength; to talk the same language
daughter-in-law and mother-in-law (relationship, conflict, etc.)
major cleanup; spring cleaning
e (constant: 2.71828...); Euler's number; Napier's constant
square (of a number); multiplying (a number) by itself; second power
clearly; distinctly; evidently; definitely
middle finger; long finger; second finger; middle toe; third toe
utterance; speaking; vocalization; leading a group of people (in cheering, singing, etc.)
to release a shutter (camera); to click a shutter
commemorative photograph; souvenir photograph
to smile a smile of satisfaction
slightly early; just before
deep impression; being deeply moved; being deeply touched
to take a breather; to take a rest; to catch one's breath; to take a breath