one or two; a few; small number
to begin to write; to begin writing; to begin to draw; to begin drawing; to begin painting
to take an attitude; to take a stance; to commit oneself; to assume a position
to let your hair down; to have fun after a period of work or stress
business; task; use; purpose; for the use of ...; used for ...
congratulations!; well done!; best wishes!; all the best!
to bite; to chew; to gnaw; to fumble one's words (esp. during a play, broadcast, etc.); to falter with one's words; to crash against (e.g. of waves); to break onto (shore)
self-sufficiency; self-containment; autonomy; self-absorption
at once; immediately; right now
it does not mean that ...; I don't mean that ...; it is not the case that
to stay at (e.g. hotel); to be docked; to be berthed; to be moored
still; yet; more; still more; as ...; like ...
not less than; ... and over; beyond (e.g. one's expectations); above; above-mentioned; aforementioned
to become used to seeing; to be familiar with
what the?; what's that?; what are you doing?; what's going on?
present; gift; to give a present or gift
chief; main; principal; main secondary or supporting role (in kyogen)
what the?; what's going on?; what's this?
Japanese writing paper (lined with a square grid, one square per character); manuscript paper
to be delighted; to be glad; to congratulate; to gratefully accept
practical; useful; utilitarian; pragmatic
romance (e.g. Arthurian romances); heroic tale; (nigh) impossible dream; adventurous spirit; (full-length) novel; romance
to send; to forward; to hand over (e.g. money)
(suffer) deterioration; growing worse; aggravation; degeneration; corruption
ryokan; traditional inn; Japanese-style lodging, usu. professionally-run
all; everything; entirety; absolutely (not); (not) at all; (none) whatsoever
nakedness; nudity; bareness; nakedness; being penniless; concealing nothing
to go out (e.g. on an excursion or outing); to leave; to depart; to be about to leave; to be just going out
jealousy; roasted rice cake
to guess; to sense; to presume; to sympathize with; to sympathise with
to swear; to vow; to take an oath; to pledge
how about ...?; I wonder; I don't know
these days; nowadays; present day; at this time (of the day)
being put off (by someone's words, behaviour, etc.); being taken aback; recoiling (in shock, disgust, etc.); zooming out or pulling the camera back to get a wider image (in film and TV)
even if; even though; however; no matter how
to be amused; to find something interesting
and; thereupon; because of that
no matter how you put it; whatever the circumstances may be; say what you like; no matter how you look at it
to step aside; to move (i.e. out of the way); to make way
to show signs of ...; to have the appearance of ...
material (for a story, article, etc.); information; joke; jest; proof; evidence; (magician's) trick