the (one's) best pupil; the (one's) top disciple
kitchen maid; kitchen duties; cooking
fusuma; Japanese sliding screen
convening; calling together (e.g. parliament); call-up (for military service)
discontent; dissatisfaction; complaint; grievance
godsend; lifesaver; timely offer; windfall
someone who is in their element; (lit.) fish that has found water
binding; regulation; limit; binding period (e.g. phone or broadband contract); minimum contract term
whitewashing; glossing over; lip service; deftly finishing up; putting on the final touches
to shake; to waver; to tremble
knowing no bounds; showing no signs of stopping or slowing down
to make up a shortfall; to cover a shortage; to compensate for a shortage; to fill a gap
helping oneself to a drink; pouring one's own drink
in short; in brief; to sum up; ultimately; in the end; in the long run
not straightforward; not dealt with by ordinary means
deviation value (usu. scaled to mean of 50, standard deviation of 10, and often used for academic grades); deviation; T-score; standard score
all sorts of delicacies; various unusual foods; sumptuous feast
cultural center; cultural centre
coffee shop; coffeehouse; café
running one's own business; doing business on one's own; self-employment
clientele; customer stratum
to live; to exist; to make a living; to subsist; to be in effect; to be in use
first-rate; finest quality; the best
ice house; ice room; cold room
Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research; JFCR
to put a burden on; to tax (e.g. strength)
long (time); protracted; prolonged
directly under; falling perpendicularly
ban (e.g. on smoking); prohibition
first three days of the New Year (January 1-3)
safety; welfare; well-being
before the end of this year
beach; seashore; captured pieces (in the game of go); captured stones; Yokohama; (arch.) riverbank
groping in the dark; exploring new avenues without having any clues
around the end of (a period of time)