training; drill; practice; discipline
to work hard; to try hard; to strive; to endeavour; to endeavor; to devote oneself to
character (esp. kanji); letter; handwriting; penmanship; the ... word (e.g. "the L word" = "love")
than; in comparison to; rather than; over; above
previously; before; first; before (something or someone else); beforehand; in advance
so; like this; in this way; this much; to this extent
and yet; despite this; but even so; but even then; however; nevertheless
one day; (on) a certain day
student (esp. a university student)
apprenticeship; probation; learning by observation; apprentice; trainee; probationer
remote place; backcountry; the sticks; hinterland
duty; function; office; mission; task; role
appeal; call for something; request; axiom
strong; potent; strong; brawny; good (at); skilled; being able to handle
by means of; due to; because of; according to
to serve as; to act as; to fill (the position of); to play the role of; to be in charge of; to hold (a position)
accompanying (someone); going with; travelling together; the same bank; the said bank
to pass (of time); to elapse
promotion; advancement; rising in rank
troops; group members; team members; SDF officials
scary; frightening; eerie; dreadful
sword (esp. a large, double-edged one); blade; bayonet; swordsmanship; stinger; ovipositor
one long cylindrical thing; one film, TV show, etc.; one version; one book; a certain book; ippon; one point
to set up (a house, store, etc.); to build; to have at the ready (e.g. a gun); to hold in preparation (e.g. a camera); to adopt a posture; to assume a stance; to put on an air
around there; near there; or thereabouts; or so; such a matter; such a thing
to lose; to be defeated; to give in (to); to yield; to be inferior (to); to be second (to)
nature; natural constitution; innate disposition
gift; boon; godsend; (good) result; fruit (e.g. of one's efforts)
while; even though; despite
time; hour; period; class
to attach; to join; to furnish (a house with); to wear; to put on; to keep a diary; to make an entry
to receive; to take; to get someone to do something; to have in one's pocket (a fight, match); to contract (a disease); to catch
hard worker; hardworking person
dispatch; despatch; deployment; temporary employee (esp. from an agency); temporary worker; agency temp
border (between countries); national border
remote region; outlying district; border district; frontier
the old days; the past; former times; the past ten years; the past decade
demon; devil; evil spirit; monster; goblin; apparition
many; numerous; large amount of; large quantity of; frequent; common
certainly; of course; even if; no matter (who, what, when, where, why, how); without even; without so much as; at the (least, earliest, etc.)
also; too; not ... either; (it's not possible) no matter what; although one might wish otherwise
battle; war; fight (against time, poverty, etc.); struggle (for freedom, survival, etc.); contest; competition