(family) crest; coat of arms; pattern; figure; playing card suit (in karuta)
to firmly tighten (e.g. around neck, throat); to constrict; to squeeze; to bind; to wring; to screw in (e.g. a bulb)
it can't be helped; so it goes; c'est la vie
to look at; to gaze; to stare at
wicked thought; wicked mind
very thin; flimsy; cheap; shallow
fundoshi; loincloth; kimono underskirt; wrestler's ornamental apron
to strangle; to constrict
the 36 (ancient Chinese military) strategies (of which the last resort was said to be beating a retreat)
he that fights and runs away may live to fight another day; discretion is the better part of valor; (lit.) fleeing is winning
legend; tradition; biography; life; method; way
to put one's hand on; to touch
creaking; squeaking; packing in tightly; cramming; hard (pressing, tying, twisting, etc.); tightly
not funny; not a laughing matter; not a joke
closing in on (the enemy, first place, etc.); coming close to; pressing hard; pressing hard (e.g. with a question); taking to task; grilling
to collect; to put (it all) together; to summarize; to aggregate; to bring to a conclusion; to finalize
to cramp up; to tighten; to be insistent; to persist (in one's opinion); to act tough; to bluff; to prop up (e.g. with a post)
well aware of; know thoroughly; being familiar with (and thus feeling no need for restraint)
kitchen door; back door; service door; host's entrance to a tea-ceremony room
super hero belt; transformation belt
advice; counsel; suggestion; tip; hint
garden soil; soil used in a garden
explosive; sudden and dramatic (of an increase in sales, popularity, etc.); explosive; rapid
four-legged; four-footed; (four-legged) animal; beast
joke; pun; jest; smartly dressed; stylish; fashion-conscious
emphatically (bite, gulp, chew, etc.)
great physical power; animal strength
quick-witted and agile; keen and nimble
paper-thin (difference); razor-thin; very slight
accumulation; accumulate; store
just like; exactly like; as if; (do) just like ...; (be) virtually like ...; as if it were ...
self-control; self-restraint
clear; plain; distinct; obvious; evident; articulate
use; utility; effect; benefit
previous generation (of a family); previous head of the family; predecessor; previous age; previous generation
old enemy; longtime enemy; arch-enemy; traditional rival; longstanding foe
awareness of things around one; ability to understand what is going on around oneself; judgment; judgement; discretion
to say enough (as much as required); to say plenty; to say well; to say cleverly; to say often; to say frequently
all thanks to ...; ... is a lifesaver; (one) couldn't do without ...; our gracious ...; hats off to ...
restraint; restriction; fetters; binding; confinement with rope
to regard (as); to recognize (as); to see as; to pay attention to; to watch
stake; post; pile; (arch.) stump