futility;  waste;  uselessness;  pointlessness;  idleness
 to chip off;  to scrape off;  to prune
 to polish up;  to shine up
 tempering (metal);  annealing;  forging;  toughening;  disciplining;  training
 sword (esp. Japanese single-edged);  katana;  scalpel;  chisel;  burin;  knife money (knife-shaped commodity money used in ancient China)
 polish;  grinding;  sharpening
 to be (of animate objects);  to exist;  to stay;  to be ...-ing;  to have been ...-ing
 than;  from;  out of;  except;  but;  more
 sharp (blade);  pointed;  sharp (pain);  stabbing;  perceptive;  keen
 supple;  flexible;  elastic;  graceful;  elegant;  refined
 ordinary;  common;  free of charge;  unaffected;  as is;  only
 intently;  single-mindedly;  devotedly;  solely;  earnestly;  with all one's heart
 oneself (itself, etc.);  I;  me;  you;  by oneself (itself, etc.);  interjection expressing anger or chagrin
 to polish;  to shine;  to brush (e.g. teeth);  to refine (e.g. a skill);  to improve;  to cultivate
 to continue;  to keep up;  to keep on
 spear;  lance;  javelin;  lance; (arch.)  jeering
 house (e.g. of Tokugawa);  family
 to give birth;  to bear (child);  to lay (eggs);  to produce;  to yield;  to give rise to
 fate;  destiny;  predestination
 be;  is;  did;  (have) done;  please;  do
 Mr.;  Mrs.;  makes a word more polite (usu. in fixed expressions);  state;  situation
 to hold (in one's hand);  to take;  to possess;  to have;  to maintain;  to keep;  to last
 to go;  to come;  to be defeated;  to collapse;  to be annoyed;  to be nonplussed
 morning;  breakfast; (arch.)  next morning
 reaching a stopping place;  settling down (before the next stage);  getting to a point where one can rest;  one paragraph
 to be attached;  to be connected with;  to remain imprinted;  to scar;  to bear (fruit, interest, etc.);  to be acquired (of a habit, ability, etc.);  to increase (of strength, etc.)
 by the way;  incidentally;  even if;  no matter (who, what, when, where, why, how)
 one person;  being alone;  being by oneself;  being single;  being unmarried;  by oneself
 little girl;  maiden;  young lady; (arch.)  female between 17 and 20 years old (ritsuryo period)
 to come along;  to come around;  to turn up;  to arrive at the present;  to get where one is;  to have been doing something (for a period of time)
 to serve;  to work for;  to attend
 to give;  to let (one) have;  to give;  to do for one;  to take the trouble to do;  to do to someone's disadvantage
 same;  identical;  equal;  anyway;  anyhow;  in either case
 colour;  color;  complexion;  skin colour;  look (on one's face);  expression;  appearance
 fox (esp. the red fox, Vulpes vulpes);  fox (i.e. a sly person);  soba or udon topped with deep-fried tofu;  light brown;  golden brown
 ear;  hearing;  edge;  crust;  selvedge (non-fray machined edge of fabrics);  selvage
 tail (animal);  tail end;  tip
 just (now);  quite (near);  unintentionally;  subconsciously
 some time ago;  recently;  lately;  last (Sunday, etc.);  previous
 although;  despite;  whereas;  while;  if only;  I wish