halfway; midway; partway; mid-course
plain; simple; reserved (behaviour, attitude, etc.); modest; quite; a (little) bit
direct talks; direct negotiations; talking to somebody in person
bustling; busy; crowded; lively (party, voices, etc.); loud; noisy
to begin to say; to start talking; to broach (a matter); to be the first to say; to suggest (doing); to propose
personal; individual; private
to stick into (of something with a sharp point); to prick; to pierce; to resonate emotionally; to move
private property; personal belongings; personal effects
perhaps; probably; generous; many; much
to push up; to force up; to pressure one's superiors; to burst out (of emotions, etc.); to fill one's heart
dimension; perspective; point of reference; level (of something)
link; directory entry; rink
root (of a plant); root (of a tooth, hair, etc.); center (of a pimple, etc.); root (of all evil, etc.); source; one's true nature
in some cases; sometimes; on occasions
the future; future prospects
opaque; obscure; opacity; obscurity; unclear; unpredictable
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
mixing of public and private affairs; mixing business with personal affairs; mixing work and private matters
to step forward; to step forth; to advance; to start; to embark on; to set forth on
to be opposite; to face each other
ditch; drain; groove; tread; gap (between people, countries, etc.); gulf
unexpectedly; surprisingly
heart; guts; nerve; central part
to screw; to twist; to distort; to parody; to torture; to wrest
stiff and slackless; tense without any looseness; cling tightly; pulled or stretched as far as possible; creaking of a door or oar
to give up all thoughts of; to abandon; to despair of; to make up one's mind; to take a momentous decision
reprimand; rebuke; reproach; scolding
to be lucky; to be in luck; to be attached; to have; to be included
gait; walk; stride; trace (e.g. of route taken by hunted criminal); track; trail
to be breathtaking; to be stifling
breathing; respiration; knack; trick; harmony; balance
to spoil; to ruin; to destroy; to make a mess of
to condemn; to blame; to urge; to press; to torture; to torment
flurried; flustered; upset; nervous; embarrassed
to speak with restraint; to understate; to downplay; to put it mildly; to say the least
feeling refreshed; feeling relieved; neat; tidy; frank; open-hearted; completely
quick to seize an opportunity