being unable to laugh (at a funny but serious situation); forced to hold back laughter
a matter of course; what is to be expected; par for the course
very; extremely; exceedingly; top; highest; best
softening; softening (of attitude); mollification; weakening (of the market); blanching (of vegetables; by depriving them of light)
kindness; favor; favour; goodwill; affection; liking (for someone)
to live; to reside; to inhabit
run-down house; dilapidated house; shabby old house; (arch.) rag and scrap merchant
vacant house; unoccupied house
staying the night; lodging (at)
(more than) enough; too much; bitterly; extremely; keenly
to ask a question; to ask questions
to ask for; to apply for; to make an application for; to file a request for; to submit (e.g. one's resignation)
angle; square; cube; bishop; third degree (of the Japanese and Chinese pentatonic scale); Chinese "horn" constellation (one of the 28 mansions); jiao (monetary unit of China; one-tenth of a yuan)
body double; double; wire puller; person behind the scenes; shadow commander
what people say; rumours; public opinion
to read and understand; to interpret (e.g. a difficult text); to read deeply; to decipher; to decode
to gnaw; to nibble; to bite; to dabble in; to know a little bit about; to learn a little of
treating someone like a child
unique; peculiar; special
as if ...; as if to say ...; as though ...
the moment of meeting (of two people, vehicles, etc.); the moment of running into each other; the moment of crossing paths
roundhouse kick; turning kick
the hiragana character "ku"; chevron-shaped; dogleg-shaped
gurgling (e.g. of water); burbling; bubbling; glugging
hopeless; good-for-nothing; incorrigible; foolish; preposterous; absurd
nothing new; same as always; an old story; nothing new about it; not the first time it has happened
just the other day; quite recently
kendo; Japanese martial art using bamboo swords
uniform worn in martial arts (judo, kendo, etc.)
(complete) set; outfit; kit; all; everything
personal delivery; handing over in person
forced to use; forced into a position
we are of equal status in this regard; we are in the same boat; the same to you; the feeling is mutual
talking while standing; standing around talking
to recommend (someone to do); to advise; to recommend (a book, someone for a position, etc.); to suggest; to offer (a drink, cigarette, seat, etc.)
dully; dispassionately; apathetically; in a subdued manner
it is written that ...; ... is written; it says ...; it reads ...
excessive self-consciousness; excessively self-conscious person
in the morning; during the morning
completely changed; totally transformed