beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning; initially
(one's) identity; background; upbringing; (one's) character
to open up (to someone); to become unreserved; to lower one's guard; to become friendly (with); to feel at ease; to take a relaxed attitude (to)
endless; boundless; innumerable; endless; never-ending; going on forever
achievement; attainment; accomplishment; realization
passing (e.g. of a typhoon); going past
true; real; genuine; proper; utter
blond hair; blonde hair; golden hair
accomplishment; lessons (in an art, skill, etc.); practice
these days; nowadays; today; at this time (of day); at this hour
with a click; with a snap; ornamental clip (hair, obi, etc.)
to close (e.g. book, eyes, meeting, etc.); to shut
crossing; passage; importing; import; wandering; wanderer; migration
source of electricity; electrical power; power (button on TV, etc.)
teacher; instructor; sensei; title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc.; intimate or teasing form of address; (arch.) one's elder
throwing down; dropping; airdrop; investment
once; one time; exclusively; only; alone
precondition; prerequisite
a great deal; very much; a lot; (arch.) with a great amount of effort
to have an eye on; to zero in on
firmly; solidly; heartily
opening ceremony (of the school term)
poverty-stricken; destitute; poor; penurious
to be taught; to learn; to take lessons in
self-torturing; masochistic
unconcernedly; nonchalantly; indifferently; blankly; vacantly; absentmindedly
only; just; solely; prostitute attached to a single member of the post-WWII occupation forces
deferment (e.g. of savings); leaving (something) as it stands; unredeemed; unredeemable; irredeemable
contract; compact; agreement
to be expensive; to be costly
one-ring hang-up call (to receive a call back, oft. for scams); missed call for exchanging phone numbers; wangiri
village; hamlet; countryside; country; home (of one's parents, etc.); hometown
teahouse; (Edo period) rest stop; (geisha) teahouse; establishment where patrons are entertained by geisha; tea house (that sells tea); tea dealer
to spring; to bound; to be stimulated; to be encouraged; to pay handsomely; to splurge
to close (at a certain point); to cut short; to round up (number); to revalue (currency)
terrible; dreadful; amazing (e.g. of strength); great (e.g. of skills); to a great extent; vast (in numbers)
blue; azure; green; pale (facial color); gray; unripe
foreigner (esp. a Westerner); gaijin; (arch.) outsider
beautiful woman; (a) beauty; belle; good-looker
to evaluate; to appraise; to comment on
passing through (a tunnel, station, town, etc.); passing by (e.g. of a typhoon); passage (of a bill, e.g. through parliament); carriage; passing (an examination, inspection, etc.); clearing
atavism; throwback; reappearance of an earlier characteristic; reappearance; atavism