December; twelfth month of the lunar calendar
to advance on; to close in; to march on; to descend on (the enemy); to move towards; to surge forward (crowd, wave of nostalgia, wave, etc.)
corridor; hallway; passageway
quick work; (clever) feat
to stop; to abort; to discontinue; to close
seal; stamp; judgment; judgement; size (of paper or books)
to stamp (i.e. a passport); to apply a seal
moat; fosse; canal; ditch
iroha order; traditional ordering of Japanese syllabaries (based on a Buddhist poem)
getting an advance (on one's salary)
large; big; older; senior; final; ultimate
one's junior; younger generation; next generation; moving backwards; backing up; reversing
cleverness; skill; tact; clever person (in a particular field); skillful person (skilful)
caution; admonition; prohibition; ban; punishment; (arch.) caution
fool; idiot; dotage; senility; touched in the head (from); out of it (from)
in turns; alternately; in order
(social) standing; status; identity; birth; one's circumstances; one's means
whole year; all year round; always; all the time; during an era; middle class (of a nursery school, etc.)
before one's eyes; in front of one; under one's nose; immediate; imminent; around the corner
to occupy; to hold; to account for; to make up; to take up
having no thought for; having no consideration for; disregarding; overlooking; (arch.) being found not guilty (in an Edo-period court); (arch.) acquittal
to command; to order; to tell (to do); to appoint (to the post of)
degree; extent; (health) condition; state of health; adjustment; moderation; addition and subtraction
office worker; company employee; company man; salaryman (stereotypical Japanese office worker)
to take seriously; to believe in; to fall for
first time; first; initial
to shiver; to shake; to quake; to tremble; to quaver; to quiver
memories; recollections; reminiscence
dirty; filthy; disordered; messy; indecent (language, etc.); dirty
toilet; lavatory; water closet; restroom; bathroom
rule; regulation; settlement; conclusion; habit; custom
time; hour; season; time of the year
to compare; to make a comparison; to compete; to vie
unforgettable; impossible to forget; lucidly remember
scenery; scene; landscape
original intention; initial resolution
innocent; naive; unsophisticated; birth-