(please) look; see; (please) try to do
sensual; voluptuous; sexy; arousing
living in peace; living a quiet life; being content with one's present position; being satisfied with one's lot
period of time (usu. a period of approx. two hours corresponding to one of the signs of the Chinese zodiac); carving; engraving; victory; strictness; cruelty
bad job; poor workmanship; bungle
origin; beginning; genesis; primeval; primordial; primitive
subtle seasoning that brings out the flavor; secret ingredient
hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
gorgeous; sumptuous; extravagant; luxurious
to be greatly obliged; to be very sorry
to resolve to do; to make up one's mind to do; to set one's heart on; to have one's heart set on
expressing one's mind; speaking out
mere shadow of one's former self; having no trace left (of former glories, talent, looks, etc.); unrecognizable (as the person one used to be); unrecognisable
although; though; despite the fact that ...
improvisation; improvised; impromptu; extempore
careful selection; careful screening; hand-picking
to be loath to; to balk at (doing); to grudge (doing); to take (good) care of
rise; increase; income; takings; completion; end; end result (e.g. of crafts)
to mix; to blend; to combine
Japanese food; Japanese-style meal; Japanese cuisine
tie up; bind; sum; total amount; judo choking (strangling) techniques; last meal eaten when going restaurant hopping; completion
tempura; deep-fried fish and vegetables in a light batter
good flavor (flavour); good taste; umami (fifth category of taste in food); skill; cleverness; profit
consent; assent; understanding; agreement; comprehension; grasp
sad; wretched; deplorable
older sister; elder sister
thickly; viscously; sleepily; drowsily; dozing off
dashi (Japanese soup stock made from fish and kelp)
to compose; to put together
dated; date; fixed; external
to mow down; to cut down; to knock down; to defeat; to beat
transmission; propagation; spread; circulation; diffusion; dissemination
slip; omission; upshot; denouement; punch line (of a joke)
to concentrate; to devote; to apply; to strain; to rack
coloring; colouring; color scheme; colour scheme; (touch of) colour; embellishment
to gasp for air; to pant; to be out of breath
just the other day; quite recently