to dress stylishly; to joke; to play on words
an issue being settled; a case being closed
first thing in the morning
New Year's Day; first day of the year; New Year's morning; morning of New Year's Day
shiruko; sweet red-bean soup with mochi
to be a match for; to rival; to equal; to compare with; to be equivalent to
(preliminary) skirmish; prelude; preliminary encounter; warm-up match (e.g. before a final)
what the?; what's going on?; what's this?
absentmindedly; dazedly; vaguely
point (of a question, story, etc.); hold; grip
making one's debut; making one's first appearance; (just) showing one's face; showing up; introductory kabuki performance (to introduce the actors); December kabuki performance at Kyoto's Minamiza Theater in which all famous actors perform
cleaning up someone else's mess; making up for someone else's mistake; ass-wiping; arse-wiping
to infuriate one's superior; to incur the anger of one's boss; to bring (a superior's) wrath down upon one; to incur the Imperial wrath; to offend the Emperor; (lit.) to touch the scale on a dragon's throat
to look up (at); to look up to; to respect; to ask for (e.g. guidance); to seek; to depend on
ignoring (someone); ostracizing; leaving (someone) out
for the present; for the time being
to feel gloomy; to have doubts (e.g. about the future); to be at a loss (e.g. over what to do)
ban on entering (a building, venue, etc.)
halfway (through, complete); midway
kind; sort; type; similar example; parallel; the like
transport; transportation; transit; conveyance
rare; uncommon; unusual; rare; lightly cooked
large-size refuse (e.g. furniture, electrical goods); oversized garbage; bulky rubbish; useless man about the house; husband who is retired and considered a nuisance
to carry out (of somewhere); to transport; to take out
with an interesting history (story); with a shady history; with circumstances that are difficult to explain
making doubly sure; points scored for good measure; insurance run (in baseball)
absolute best; very finest; top-class; first-rate; elite
feeling (much) obliged; being (very) grateful; feeling sorry (for troubling someone); feeling ashamed (e.g. of an error); (arch.) shrinking back in fear
to accomplish; to finish; to carry through; to follow through
(bringing to a) perfect end; (rounding off with a) crowning achievement; successful conclusion; triumphant finish
leaving (a hall, meeting, stadium, etc.); exit; walkout; exit (from the stage); leaving the stage
impressive; striking; memorable; impactful
to replace; to convert; to exchange; to interchange; to substitute (person, staff member, player, etc.)
extremely angry; furious; fiercely (shine); blazingly; merrily (burn away); red-hot
your house; your home; your husband; your organization; you
working feverishly; strenuous efforts; furious dedication (to a task); (arch.) having dishevelled hair; (arch.) fighting with dishevelled hair
on the wane (e.g. popularity of something); decline of one's fortunes
out of one's league; facing a too tough opponent; outclassed
patron (of the arts, an artist, etc.); patroness; sugar daddy; man who provides for a woman (e.g. a geisha); patron; master