prior investment; upfront investment
gradually (progress into a state); in sequence; in order; in turn
first (of its kind) in Japan
strengthening; intensifying; reinforcement; enhancement; solidification
dispatch; despatch; deployment; temporary employee (esp. from an agency); temporary worker; agency temp
studying abroad; studying at a different school, etc. (usu. for a specific purpose)
depending on; as soon as; immediately after; as (e.g. "as one is told", "as one wishes"); whatever (e.g. "whatever is at hand"); order; program
immediately; at once; soon; before long; easily; readily
decision of a contest; finals (in sports)
preparation; arrangements; getting ready; provision; setup; reserving
mode (musical mode, mode of probability distribution, state of physical system); fashion
suddenly; all of a sudden; abruptly
river; stream; River; the ... river
center; centre; middle; Chūbu region (incl. Aichi, Nagano, Shizuoka, Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi and Gifu prefectures)
physical education; PE; gym (class)
tide; current; sea water; opportunity; chance; thin soup of fish or shellfish boiled in seawater
prudish; strait-laced; boring; square
interest; appeal; attraction; fun
explosion; detonation; eruption; eruption (of discontent, etc.); outburst; outpouring
one in a million (chance, etc.); one in ten thousand; in the unlikely event that
adventure; venture; venture which is unlikely to succeed; risky attempt; danger
to talk or say too much; to go too far; to overstate; to exaggerate
advance (into a new market or stage of progress); launching (a new career or venture); expanding (into a new market); stepping forward; emerging
goal; basket (basketball); finishing line; Gaul
jinx; omen (can be a good omen)
grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); assistance; help; effects; influence
superior (in rank); top; higher order (e.g. byte); host computer (of connected device)
winning a prize or place (in a contest)
last (on the list); (at the) bottom; (in) last position; tailender
shadow; silhouette; reflection; image; ominous sign; light (stars, moon)
to step on; to tread on; to set foot on (e.g. foreign soil); to stand on; to experience; to undergo; to follow (rules, principles, etc.)
to flip; to snap; to repel; to use (an abacus); to calculate; to strum
to break up and start anew; to break out of one's shell; to make a fresh start; to go outside oneself
waking up; awakening; arousal; disillusion; disillusionment; awakening
now that you mention it; come to think of it; that reminds me; on that subject; speaking of which
futility; waste; uselessness; pointlessness; idleness
obsession; fixation; complaining; criticizing; speciality (e.g. of restaurants)