small; little; slightly less than; just about; somewhat; somehow
gravel; ballast; pebbles; child; rugrat; ankle-biter
to poke fun at; to make fun of; to send up
short sleeved kimono (worn as an undergarment during the Heian period); padded silk garment
to erase; to delete; to turn off (power); to switch off; to extinguish; to put out
brittle; fragile; weak; tender-hearted; sentimental; easily moved
to learn by experience; to learn one's lesson; to learn the hard way; to be discouraged (by); to have enough (of); to be disgusted (with)
to anticipate; to expect; to place confidence in; to put trust in; to find promising; to see good prospects (in)
to become damp; to become moist; to become wet; to lack energy; to be in a slump; to be in low spirits
aggressive; pushy; in-your-face
shame; embarrassment; disgrace
inclination; slant; slope; bevel; list; dip
to go to the top; to climb to the top; to ascend to the top; to be engrossed in; to be very enthusiastic about; to be infatuated with
sound; noise; acoustics; reverberation; echo; audio
Mikawa (former province located in the east of present-day Aichi Prefecture)
Island; insula; island; islet
standing close together; bristling (with)
chimney; smokestack; funnel (of a ship); carrying a passenger without turning on the taximeter
to tell (a story); to give an account of (an event, experience, etc.); to relate; to tell of; to show; to indicate
brave; valiant; gallant; stirring; vigorous; rousing
the other day; lately; recently
remaining bony parts (of a fish after filleting); flaw (esp. of a person); fault; rice chaff; rough; crude
to fire (gun, arrow, questions, etc.); to shoot; to set free; to release; to emit (e.g. light); to give off (e.g. a scent)
April; fourth month in the lunar calendar
till; to; concerning (an area of expertise); swearing by (one's sword, God, etc.)
rape blossoms; rapeseed flowers
wide open sky; the blue; heavens; firmament
silence (not speaking); muteness
lonely; lonesome; solitary; desolate
cloud floating in a spring sky
heavy; weighty; heavy (feeling); depressed; slow; sluggish; important (position, responsibility, etc.)
to be anxious or concerned about; to ponder (anxiously); to fear; to investigate; to consider; to plan
every last one; one and all; from A to Z; as soon as; right after; no sooner (than)
subway; tube; underground railroad; underground railway
to plan; to intend; to aspire to; to set aims (sights on)
Asahi Shimbun (newspaper)