cleverness; skill; tact; clever person (in a particular field); skillful person (skilful)
style; manner; way; after (period of time) again (e.g. meeting again after a year); for the first time in (period of time)
one by one; each; every; at intervals of
always; without exception; necessarily; certainly; without fail; positively
necessary; needed; essential; necessity; need; requirement
not less than; ... and over; beyond (e.g. one's expectations); above; above-mentioned; aforementioned
writing brush; paintbrush; writing with a brush; drawing with a brush; writing (composing text); the written word
the world; society; sphere; circle; world-renowned; world-famous
the West; the Occident; Western countries
cause; seed; variety; kind; counter for varieties
new; neo-; newness; novelty; Gregorian calendar; Xin dynasty (China, 9-23 CE)
script reading; scenario reading; avid reader; bookworm; reading a book; reading books
protagonist; main character; hero(ine) (of a story); head of household
art; technique; means; way; trick; trap
free; unrestricted; (with) complete mastery; completely in control
he; she; that person; that; that one; that thing
trifling with; toying with; playing with; tossing about (a ship)
to hear; to listen (e.g. to music); to ask; to enquire; to hear about; to hear of; to follow (advice, order, etc.)
I thought so; I suspected as much; Just as I thought; Now you are talking; That's the spirit
secret; private; surreptitious
north; the North; northern territories; North Korea; (arch.) north wind
old man; venerable gentleman
tinder; melted candle wax
miso; fermented condiment usu. made from soybeans; innards (from crabs, shrimps, etc.) resembling miso; key (main) point; good part (of something); weakling
part; assigning (allotment of) parts; role; duties
frustrated (over a failure, humiliation or injustice); annoyed; chagrined; (bitterly) disappointed; bitter; vexed
that night; that evening; over the course of the evening
one night; one evening; all night; overnight
nap; doze; short sleep; staringly; fixedly
minute (unit of time); fun (one tenth of a monme, 5.787 grains)
expressing one's mind; speaking out
fifty-three stations on the Tōkaidō (Edo-Kyoto highway in Edo-period Japan)
lodging; inn; house; home; home of a servant's parents (or guarantor, etc.)
noshi; long thin strip of dried abalone in folded patterned paper, attached to a gift
monster cat; cat with magical powers
shelving (a play, movie, etc.); closing down; cancelling; rice storehouse of the Edo shogunate
to play with; to toy with; to tease
at any rate; anyhow; anyway; in any case; because; as you know
to fail; to blunder; to mess up; to be dismissed; to be fired