sake cup; cup for alcoholic beverages
stage assistant dressed in black (in kabuki); stagehand; prompter; behind-the-scenes supporter; string-puller
country in civil war; country disarrayed by war; Warring States period (Japan, China); competiton in which there are several evenly-matched participants; hotly-contested game (match, market, etc.)
two places; two spots; two locations; two parts; two passages
as of the end of (today, this month, etc.); to make (today, etc.) the last (day)
skilled manager; resourceful general
to live in disgrace; to expose oneself to ridicule
grey moustache; white beard
wheat straw; barley straw
water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis); domestic Asian water buffalo; wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee); Asian water buffalo
to compete ruthlessly; (lit.) to sharpen swords
food storage; provision store; pantry
to put something out of the way; to move (something, someone) aside
speaker; narrator; speaker (of a language)
shadow figure; silhouette
ancestor; forefather; foremother
moron; idiot; stupid person
to freeze (from fear); to be unable to (too frightened to) run
to the limit; to the full; as much as possible; with all one's might
New World (esp. the Americas, but also Australasia); new world
(field) marshal; (fleet) admiral; general of the army
lieutenant general; vice-admiral
refreshing (e.g. feeling, scene, wind, morning air); brisk; bracing; fresh; refreshed
affiliated with; under jurisdiction of; under the umbrella
reason; cause; history; origin
France; French (language)
to step over or across; to overcome
want to ... do something; would like to ...