today; this day; these days; recently; nowadays
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
June; sixth month of the lunar calendar
25th day of the month; 25 days
soon; shortly; before long; nearly; almost
indicates the subject of a sentence; indicates possession; but; however; and; used after an introductory remark or explanation; regardless of ...
to end; to come to an end; to finish; to complete; to finish doing; to be past its (one's) prime
to try to ...; to be about to do ...; to decide to ...; to take as; to treat as; to use for; to suppose that (such) is the case
year; counter for years (e.g. of an era), grades (e.g. school); period of an apprentice's contract (usu. ten years)
too; also; both A and B; A as well as B; even; as much as
fast; quick; early; soon; premature; too soon
right?; isn't it?; hey; say; you know; you see; will you?
an instant; a split second; no time at all; (lit.) time of an "ah!"
July; seventh month of the lunar calendar
at; in; to; toward; to; for; because of
to become; to get; to result in; to turn out; to consist of; to be composed of; to be completed
to be; to exist; to have; to be located; to be equipped with; to happen; to come about
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; indicates a confident conclusion; indicates emotional emphasis; indicates question
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
introduction; presentation; referral; showcase (of a product)
7th day of the month; seven days
Star Festival (held in July or August); Tanabata; Festival of the Weaver
called; named; as many as; as much as; all ...; every single ...
story; tale; narrative; account; fable; legend
based on; on the basis of
to be (of animate objects); to exist; to stay; to be ...-ing; to have ...-ed; to be ...-ed
this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
the old days; the past; former times; the past ten years; the past decade
China; Chūgoku region (western part of Honshu comprising the prefectures of Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tottori and Shimane); central part of a country; main region; province of the second lowest rank (ritsuryō system)
from; since; through (e.g. a window, door); via; because; as; from (as in "made from")
to spread (of a rumour, news, etc.); to travel; to be handed down (from generation to generation); to be passed down; to be introduced (to a country, region, etc.); to be brought; to be conveyed (of a feeling, impression, etc.)
to be called ...; to be referred to as ...
from now; from this moment; henceforth
that; the; part (as in "part two"); um ...; er ...
origin; source; history; originally; from the start; by nature
to talk; to speak; to tell; to explain; to speak (a language)
this; this one; this person; now; this point (in time); here; used to stress the subject of a sentence
sky; the air; weather; far-off place; distant place; state of mind; feeling
above; over; top; summit; surface; on (top of); the above (in a piece of writing)
long ago; once upon a time
woman textile worker; Vega (star in the constellation Lyra); Alpha Lyrae
name; given name; first name
woman; female; feminine gender