absence; being away from home; house-sitting; house-sitter; neglecting (e.g. one's studies); leaving unattended
running about; making every effort (to do); busying oneself (with); being busily engaged (in); good offices; efforts
connection; link; relationship
both; both sides; both parties
not straightforward; not dealt with by ordinary means; very hard to manage
great admiration; deep respect
foursome; group of four people; Gang of Four (Maoist political faction)
indignant lamentation over the evils of the times
(early Meiji era) democratic rights ideology
Movement for Civic Rights and Freedom (Meiji period); Freedom and People's Rights Movement
setback; failure (e.g. plans, business); frustration; discouragement
continent; continental Asia (esp. mainland China); continental Europe
to take (someone) with one; to bring along; to go with; to be accompanied by
to visit; to call on; to pay a visit to
crude; rough; plain; careless; disrespectful; without proper care
gate (of a property); (in the) style of a gate; gate-equipped (house, shop, etc.); kanji "gate" radical (radical 169)
desperation; despair; self-abandonment
to let pass; to allow through; to transmit (e.g. light, sound, etc.); to conduct (electricity); to stick through (e.g. a hole); to force through (e.g. an opening); to connect (e.g. two places)
Chinese book; Chinese classics
tokonoma; alcove where art or flowers are displayed
imagination; supposition; guess
old person; senior citizen; the aged; the elderly
small build; small stature; petite; small pattern
slim figure; slender body; slimming; weight reduction
how; in what way; how (much); to what extent; however (much); no matter how
letter (of an alphabet); character; writing
stinking; smelly; suspicious; fishy; hammy (acting); over-the-top; clumsy
habit (usu. a bad one); tendency; peculiarity; idiosyncrasy; crease; wrinkle
(a person's) appearance; looks
to stare at; to look hard at; to look up and down; to scrutinize; to scrutinise
soliloquy; monologue; speaking to oneself
sparkle of one's eyes; insight; discernment; penetration
glaring (eyes); piercing; penetrating
to apply (of a rule); to be applicable (of standards, lessons, ideas, etc.); to hold true (e.g. of a description); to fit; to be suitable (e.g. of a word); to meet (requirements)
feudal warrior; samurai; old soldier; veteran; old hand
sunshine; dry weather; luster; lustre
kusaya; brined, sun-dried fish (usu. mackerel scad) which has a very pungent smell
dried fish (or shellfish, etc.)
association (of ideas); being reminded (of something); suggestion
so; like that; that's right; indeed; let me see ...
you (plural); all of you; you all
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
Song dynasty (of China; 960-1279); Sung dynasty; Liu Song dynasty (of China; 420-479); Liu Sung dynasty; Song (ancient Chinese state; 11th century-286 BCE); Sung