to knead; to thicken into a paste (stirring over a flame); to polish (a plan, etc.); to refine; to train; to drill; to gloss (silk)
the Monkey (ninth sign of the Chinese zodiac); hour of the Monkey (around 4pm, 3-5pm, or 4-6pm); west-southwest; 7th month of the lunar calendar
work in a Zen temple (e.g. cleaning, working in the fields)
to understand; to appreciate; to interpret
at this stage; at this point; now (contrasting with the past)
early ripening rice; early-ripening fruit (grain, etc.); person who becomes physically or mentally mature at an early age
long snake; long line (of people, etc.)
two reams (of paper); 1000 sheets (of paper); stanza; verse; tribe (in taxonomy); forecast (bet); bet which predicts the top 2 finishers (i.e. quinella or perfecta bet)
planting a field with the same crop each year; repeated cultivation; collaborative literary work; story made up by several writers working on it in turn; series (of novels); cycle (of poems, songs)
extermination; annihilation
condition; term; requirement; qualification; prerequisite
invitation; introduction; temptation
party; gang; company; squad
sudden; abrupt; unexpected; unforeseen
to rise up (e.g. pillar of smoke); to go up
-itis (indicating an inflammatory disease)
front; frontage; facade; main
shaking; trembling; pitching; disturbance; unrest; agitation
postponement; deferment; extension (of time)
advantageous; favourable; better; profitable; lucrative; gainful
deployment; disposition; posting; stationing
firm; determined; resolute; conclusive
belief; faith; conviction
undefeated; unbeatable; invincible
to plan; to attempt; to plot; to conspire; to aim for; to strive for
transition; change; progress; passing (of time)
proceeding quickly; flying (of time); rapidly; (arch.) running quickly (of a horse)
falling heavily (of rain, snow, etc.)
strength; power; proficiency; ability
foreign ship (esp. of Spanish and Portuguese ships arriving from the south prior to the Edo period)
(arch.) southern barbarians (formerly used by the Chinese to refer to non-ethnic Chinese to the south); (arch.) South-East Asia; (arch.) Western Europe (esp. Spain and Portugal, their South-East Asian colonies, and their goods and people arriving in Japan via the colonies); exotic (esp. Western European or South-East Asian style); (in dance, puppetry, etc.) thrusting the right foot and right arm forward at the same time (or left foot and left arm); nanban; dish prepared using chili peppers and Welsh onions
revolution; cataclysm; drastic change
sad to say; how sad; alas
to chip; to be chipped; to be missing (from a set, team, etc.); to be absent; to be lacking (in); to be short (of)
Wednesday; shaved ice (served with flavored syrup); water (fifth of the five elements)
foreign; abroad; overseas
sensitive; alert; aware; susceptible
characteristic (of); peculiar (to)
stubborn; obstinate; pigheaded