court of law in the Edo period, in which the parties sat on white sand
writing with the brush in one's mouth; foreword; preface; affidavit; written confession (of a commoner in the Edo period)
a short while ago; already
won't; hasn't; isn't; won't you
agreement; affirmative; aye; yes; OK
immediately; at once; instantly
cutting (cloth, paper); judgement; judgment; decision
there; that situation; that occasion; the spot (i.e. "on the spot"); immediately; then and there
house where the family is out
to send a message; to write to
to draw back; to sink; to be set back (e.g. from a road); to withdraw (e.g. from the public eye); to retire to (somewhere)
triumphant return; returning in triumph
how; in what way; circumstances
expectation; anticipation; purpose; intention; others' opinions of one; speculation
speck; dot; point; only a little; particle; only one
selfishness; selfish motive
one stroke (of a brush); a few lines (of writing); note; writing in one go (without stopping to apply more ink to the brush); parcel (of land); same handwriting
still (continuing); as ever; further
if so; in that case; in that situation
person with whom to speak; someone to talk to; companion; advisor; adviser
lodger who pays nothing for room and board; freeloader; sponger
truth; reality; truly; really; absolute truth
to think (something) is improper; to question; to have a problem with
to be prolonged; to drag on
complexity; frequency; trouble; traditional Chinese character; unsimplified Chinese character
last third of a month; 21st to the last day of a month
first snow (of the season); first snowfall
to fall and pile up (e.g. snow); to lie thick
to melt; to thaw; to fuse; to dissolve
precipice; steep (e.g. mountain pass)
living alone; solitude; solitary life
to awaken; to arouse from sleep; to bring to one's senses; to disabuse (someone of); to sober up
slip; omission; upshot; denouement; punch line (of a joke)
light shower on a night in late autumn and early winter
nearby mountain; mountain near a human settlement