provincial city; provincial town; suburban city; regional towns and cities
main; principal; main dish; main course; main part; principal part
to be conspicuous; to stand out
branch office; branch store
head temple of a Buddhist sect; headquarters (of an organization); head of operations; nerve center
for a short while; for a brief period; soon; in a short while
scaffold; scaffolding; foothold; footing; foothold (e.g. in business); foundation
to mark the passage of time; to let (feel) time pass
reading too much into things
to aim at (for, to do, to become); to try for; to have an eye on; to go toward; to head for
smith; blacksmith; small crowbar for extracting nails; cat's paw
bystreet; side street; back street; alley; lane
maturing; ripening; aging; ageing; curing; fermenting
to raise; to rear; to train; to teach; to promote the growth of; to nurture
soy sauce; soya sauce; shoyu
(geisha) teahouse; establishment where patrons are entertained by geisha
store's appearance (esp. shop front, signs, etc.)
edged tool; cutting instrument; knife
case (container); case (instance, situation); case
telephone call; phone call; telephone (device); phone
sunburn; suntan; becoming discolored from the sun (e.g. of paper); yellowing; drying up (of a river, field, etc.)
old person; senior citizen; the aged; the elderly
base (of a plant, tree, pillar, etc.); (part near the) root; roots (of one's hair); root (e.g. of a problem); source
hard; solid; stiff; tight; strong; firm (not viscous or easily moved); safe
craftsman; artisan; tradesman; worker; workman
polite; courteous; careful; close; overly courteous; overly careful
recommendation; referral; endorsement
friendly; openhearted; sociable; amiable; good-humored; good-humoured
gentle; mild; meek; tender
generally; in the main; (more or less) everything; all parts; ordinary; usual
obstruction; impediment; hindrance; inhibition; blocking; check
best regards; please take care of; please do
certainly; for sure; distinctly; clearly; firmly; tightly
difficulty; trouble; accident; disaster; fault; defect
one by one; one each; one at a time
(not) anything; (nothing) at all; (not) any
self-confidence; confidence (in oneself)