iai; art of drawing one's sword, cutting down one's opponent and sheathing the sword afterwards
almost; very nearly; only just; barely; just in time
to have a lot on one's shoulders; to bear a lot of responsibility
status; position; method; way; rule; regulation
to cough violently; to have a coughing fit
to lament; to grieve; to regret; to deplore
crowd of people; great number of people; in great numbers
to start; to begin; to challenge; to pick (a fight); to set (traps); to plant (explosives)
clear as day; perfectly obvious; plain as daylight
drawing a katana and attacking in the same stroke; doing (something) suddenly and without warning; doing without prior notice
great physical power; animal strength
squared timber; rectangular lumber
to blow away; to blow off; to dispel; to drive away; to talk big
defense; defence; protecting; preventing
beating someone up by ganging up on them; facing a barrage of criticism
to meet; to encounter; to see; to have an accident; to have a bad experience
to surround; to crowd around
top; summit; twelve o'clock (usu. midnight); top of one's head; top of a helmet
to bite; to chew; to gnaw; to fumble one's words (esp. during a play, broadcast, etc.); to falter with one's words; to crash against (e.g. of waves); to break onto (shore)
gunshot; bullet; lost messenger; truant messenger; bull's-eye (candy)
face; mask; face guard; (in kendo) striking the head; surface (esp. a geometrical surface); page; aspect
unexpectedly; unusually; considering all that
skinny person; scrawny person; scarecrow; bag of bones
to get cold feet; to back away; to withdraw
how; in what way; circumstances
Mara; demon king who attempted to hinder Gautama Buddha from attaining enlightenment; obstacle to enlightenment; penis
just one person; only one
amateur; layman; respectable woman (i.e. not a prostitute, hostess, geisha); (arch.) unlicensed prostitute
approximate age; apparent age; marriageable age (esp. of a woman); age of maturity; appropriate age (to ...); old enough (to ...)
plain; simple; reserved (behaviour, attitude, etc.); modest; quite; a (little) bit
haori (Japanese formal coat)
exaggerated; overblown; pretentious
imbalance; disproportion; disparity; mismatch; asymmetry
to be shut; to close; to be firm (of a body, face, etc.); to be well-knit; to be locked; to tighten
delay; lag; postponement; falling behind
bamboo thicket; bamboo grove
disreputable; scandalous; disgraceful
qualifications; requirements; capabilities
tedious talk; impertinent talk; repetitious talk; saucy speech; pretentious statement
to become excited; to grow lively
boss (esp. yakuza); foreman