sweet-smelling; fragrant; aromatic; good (reputation, condition, results, etc.); favorable
defile; narrow path; bottleneck; impasse
crossing swords; fighting with swords; cutting each other (in fighting)
righteous government; just rule; easy method; simple approach; orthodox way; proper way
to take part in; to be a party to; to side with; to support; to agree with
to go ahead; to pull ahead
pure; innocent; naive; unspoilt; pure-hearted; ingenuous
non-fruit-bearing flower; something that is flashy with no content
leaving the nest; going out into the world; becoming independent
congratulation; congratulations; celebration; congratulatory gift; present
ultimate; final; last; eventual
cross; crossed; cruciform
response (felt in the hands); resistance; reaction; response; effect
transcendence; excellence; superiority
famous sword; excellent sword
cut end; section; opening; point of view; (different) perspective; new approach
nick in a blade (sword, knife); chip in a blade
borderline between life and death; verge of death; deadline (boundary around a prison which prisoners were not allowed to cross)
writing brush; paintbrush; writing with a brush; drawing with a brush; writing (composing text); the written word
jitte; short truncheon with a hook made of metal or wood (used by policemen and private thief-takers in Edo Japan)
(nearly certain) death; extremely dangerous place (or situation) from which one might not return alive; proper place to die; dilemma; predicament
death (and entering the hereafter)
autumn colours; fall colors; leaves turning red; red leaves; leaves turning yellow; yellow leaves; (Japanese) maple (Acer japonicum)
to delay; to postpone; to put off; to slow down; to hold up; to retard
point (of a sword, etc.); pointed verbal attack
to make absolutely sure; to make doubly sure
to reschedule; to recompose; to recross (one's legs); to reset
country in civil war; country disarrayed by war; Warring States period (Japan, China); competiton in which there are several evenly-matched participants; hotly-contested game (match, market, etc.)
hound; hunting dog; running dog; dupe; tool of another person; cat's-paw
support; participation; assistance; complicity; conspiracy
to light (a candle, lamp, etc.); to turn on (a light)
to rise high (of water); to overflow; to swell; to be filled with (emotion, energy, etc.); to be bursting with; to be brimming with
to proceed in a logical manner; to go through the proper channels
out of sight; in the background; unnoticed; (lit.) under the veranda
(art of) fencing; swordsmanship