hopeless; futile; no use; beyond help; cannot be done
to join forces; to cooperate
cannot (due to external circumstances); cannot afford to; must not; impossible to; no way one can (do)
depravity; corruption; degradation
extent; scope; sphere; range; span
one's own (political) party
disadvantage; handicap; unfavorable position
ambush; troops in ambush; unexpected opposition; unexpected obstacle
to prepare; to provide; to set up; to establish; to organize
decomposition; putrefaction; putrescence; corruption; degeneracy; decay
low grade; inferiority; coarseness; vulgarity
(outward) appearance; (proper) format (e.g. of an essay); form; appearances; decency; lip-service
high; noble; refined; advanced
War and Peace (1869 novel by Leo Tolstoy)
finishing writing; completion of a manuscript
the preceding year; the previous year; last year
sad story; tragic history
outstandingly; extraordinarily; exceptionally
Ruskin; Laskin; Luskin; Raskin
the literary world; literary circles
very strange (mysterious, weird); bizarre; monstrous; outrageous
fiction writer; dime novelist
circumstances; one's situation or lot in life
written work (esp. a bound text, as opposed to a scroll); a text written entirely in kana; graphic novel (esp. one created between the 12th and 19th centuries); notebook (for practicing kana, drawing pictures, etc.); rough draft
at the most; at best; to the utmost; as much as possible; as much as one can
toad (esp. the Japanese toad, Bufo japonicus)
immortal mountain wizard (in Taoism); mountain man (esp. a hermit); person not bound by earthly desires
pillar; post; support; prop; counter for buddhas, gods, nobles, etc.
to grow fat; to gain weight; to grow fertile (of soil); to be discerning (of one's palate, eye, ear, etc.); to be discriminating; to become rich
self-destruction; ruining oneself; natural decay; perishing naturally
box of sweets (usu. given as a gift)
very common way of tying a woman's kimono sash
fair; impartial; just; fairness; impartiality; justice
strict; severe; stern; rigid; rigorous; tough
to do coherently (e.g. explain, think); to lay out logically (e.g. one's argument); to reason through (a matter); to do with reason
to guide; to lead; to show the way; to derive; to deduce
to conspire; to act in collusion; to be hand-in-glove