three years; third school year (e.g. of high school)
three times; thrice; third (interval)
300; three hundred; 300 mon; trifling amount; shyster
three (long cylindrical things); three-of-a-kind (in a dealt hand)
March; third month of the lunar calendar
third-year student; third-year pupil
third party; third person; outsider; disinterested person
3000; three thousand; many
3 o'clock; afternoon snack (eaten around 3 o'clock); three ages of Buddhism (following the death of Gautama Buddha; age of the true law, age of the copied law, and age of the degeneration of the law); three ages of the dharma
the three character styles: square and semicursive and grass
three times (as much); treble; triple; threefold
triangle; triangular shape
three flat objects (sheets of paper, pieces of cloth, etc.); cutting a fish into two boneless fillets and a piece with the skeleton
trio; gang of three; threesome
set of three; three sets; three classes
three generations; three periods; third generation
three dimensions; 3D; 3-D; real world; IRL; in real life
third stage; three stages; third dan (in martial arts, go, shogi, etc.)
third place; third rank; third rank (in the Japanese court system); Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
three countries; Three Kingdoms (in China, 220 CE-280 CE); Three Kingdoms (in Korea, 57 BCE-668 CE); (arch.) Japan, China and India; (arch.) Japan, Korea and China
triple; treble; threefold; three-ply; triplicate
three generations; third generation immigrant; sansei; the third (e.g. Henry III)
three sides; small offering stand
30th day of the month; 30 days
samadhi (state of intense concentration achieved through meditation); being immersed in; being absorbed in; prone to; apt to
again and again; repeatedly
three kinds; three varieties
13th day of the month; 13 days
three persons; three parties
one four-of-a-kind and one three-of-a-kind in a dealt hand; three and a four (in dice games)
three-legged race; cooperation with singleness of purpose (e.g. between companies); operating in tandem
again and again; repeatedly
love triangle; eternal triangle
seven-to-three ratio; 70-30 split; 70-30 hair part; hairstyle with hair parted in a 70-30 ratio
three branches of the Tokugawa family (Owari, Kii and Mito); big three; top three
three colours; three colors; triple run; winning hand containing the same chow in each of the three suits; triple pung; winning hand containing the same pung in each of the three suits
Records of the Three Kingdoms (Chinese historical text)
third; tertiary; cubic (function, equation, etc.); third-order
the three gods of creation; five-grain guardian gods
three and eight; Arisaka Type 38 rifle
23rd day of the month; 23 days
the three princesses; three kabuki roles regarded as some of the hardest to perform
three noble families (Kan'in, Kazan'in and Nakanoin or Koga); three branches of the Tokugawa family (Owari, Kii and Mito)
low-ranking samurai; rolling three and one (in a dice game)
3 Japanese feet; waistband; belt; cloth girdle
sanpaku eyes (eyes with visible white between the iris and the lower eyelid)
petty underling; small fry
31st day of the month; 31 days
third grade; third class; tertiary
third year of junior high school; third-year junior high school student
comedian; actor who plays comic roles; figure of fun; laughing stock
in groups of twos and threes; in small groups; (lit.) (in groups of) threes and fives
three-cornered hat; tricorne
three-digit number; hundreds column
parent and child meeting (with teacher for course, career guidance, etc.)
Sanzu River (Japanese Buddhist equivalent of the River Styx); River of Three Crossings
triangular bandage; sling; triangular kerchief; bandana; bandanna
the Third Reich; Nazi Germany
semicircular canals (of the inner ear)
the Three Jewels; the Triple Gem; Triratna; the Three Treasures; Buddha, Dharma, Sangha; Buddha, the teachings of Buddha, and the community of monks and nuns
the Trinity; three parts; three components; three factors
twofold and threefold; doubled and redoubled
great army; mighty host; whole army
the three realms of existence; the whole universe (of a billion worlds) that Buddha enlightened; past, present and future existences; far-off ...; distant ...
three sides; three faces; page three (of a newspaper)
trisection; dividing into three (parts)
Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Consort
large triple gate to temple
three sun (ca. 9.1 cm); something small, short or thin (roughly the size of three sun); stall-keeper; huckster; (arch.) prostitute of the lowest rank
Lupin III (manga, anime, character by Monkey Punch); Lupin the Third
three branches of Buddhist sutras
being highly educated, having a high salary and being tall; (lit.) three highs; high-valued yen, high stock prices and high land prices (usu. in reference to Japan's "bubble era")
cheap and low-quality play; performance not worth paying to see; transparent act; see-through scheming
shichi-go-san; 7-5-3 day; festival day for children aged 7, 5 and 3 held on or around November 15; lucky numbers 7, 5 and 3
San'etsu (the three former provinces of Echizen, Etchū and Echigo)
three lifetime commandments (youth's femininity, middle-aged struggle, old-age gain); three categories of precepts (lay, ordination, moral)
the whole universe (of a billion worlds) that Buddha enlightened; the whole wide world
World War III; Third World War
sitting on the floor grasping one's knees (as in a gym class)
paltry amount of money; cheapness; worthlessness; three one-mon coins
triple time; triple meter; triple metre; three important requisites
first three days of the New Year (January 1-3)
the Big Three (countries)
three lords (highest ranking officials in the old Imperial Chinese or Japanese governments)
oh no!; good heavens!; oops
changing again and again; seesawing back and forth; being in a state of flux
third year of high school; third-year high-school student
three-way junction; three-way intersection
three legs (two legs and a cane)
three highest ranks (wrestling, unions, etc.); three parts; three divisions
equilateral triangle; regular triangle
second lieutenant (JGSDF)
third time lucky; third time's the charm
third person; third-person reference term; term used to refer to someone or something in the third person
three-day weekend; long weekend; three holidays in a row
sanchin; fundamental karate kata focusing on breathing, stability, and body hardening
a set of three bouts; three-game match; three-bout contest
eloquence or flattery designed to deceive
13th day (of the moon); the night of the 13th day of 9th lunar month
three wheeled vehicle (tricycle, motorcycle, etc.); three wheeler
daily meals; three regular meals a day
triple feature (e.g. movie)
second anniversary of a death
three parts; three copies
three-cornered hat; tricorne
difficult, dirty, and dangerous (work); apartment with three bedrooms and a kitchen
Summer Triangle (asterism)
everybody is different; to each their own; three different people, three different styles
to look daggers at someone; to be angry
wooden horse (used in S&M play or torture)
out on a third-base liner
what happens twice will happen thrice
outermost region of the castle
side parting; hair parted to one side
afternoon refreshment; afternoon tea
third year (college) student; junior
killing three birds with one stone
in earnest; single-minded; with intense concentration; one and only; unique
trio; triumvirate; three famous retainers
three people on the same vehicle (usu. bike)
to meet all three important conditions; to be a triple threat; to be ideal
performing a rakugo story on the spot based on three topics given by the audience; impromptu rakugo story based on three subjects
bona fide third party; bona fide third person
wielding three swords; player who can play as pitcher, fielder and batter
kitchen maid; kitchen duties; cooking
three primary colors (colours)
third year of elementary school; third year elementary school student
unparalleled in Japan, China and India
showing (someone) special courtesy (to persuade them to take a post)
three mountains; three shrines (of Kumano); three kingdoms (of 14th and 15th-century Okinawa)
triangles (used in mechanical drawing); set square
three enlightened men (Buddha, Confucius and Christ; Lao-tzu, Confucius and Buddha; etc.); three sages; three virtuous men; the three most accomplished people (of a particular craft or trade)
23rd night of a lunar month (esp. 8th month); moon-waiting party held on 23rd night of a lunar month
triple handicap (esp. blindness, deafness and mutism)
the three powers (heaven, earth and man); everything in the universe
three heads are better than two; three ordinary people together have great wisdom; (lit.) if three people gather; the wisdom of Manjushri
all-purpose kitchen knife; santoku knife
three boxes; three box-shaped things; three containers
three large cities (esp. Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka during the Edo period)
three times a day (of meals)
human-interest article; city news; local news; police news
even the patience of a saint eventually runs out; (lit.) (if you touch) the Buddha's face three times (he will get annoyed)
rush of business; versatility; man who can do the work of many
second grade of the third rank of honor (honour)
Sanriku (the three former provinces of Rikuzen, Rikuchū and Rikuō)
chicken, goose and pheasant; (arch.) cuckoo, Japanese bush warbler and wagtail
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (14th century novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong)
after-afterparty; third party of the night
21st day after death; 21st day after birth
with humility (esp. of women in relation to their partner); humbly; (lit.) three steps behind
frequent reflection; frequent meditation
trigrade conjugation (of the classical verbs "su" and "ku"); conjugation in which the stem vowel alternates between "i", "u" and "o"
joint venture of government and business; business venture financed jointly by the public and private sectors; semi-public sector; (lit.) third sector
three cheers; three chants; singing three times
three-second rule (food hygiene myth); three seconds rule (basketball)
filleting a fish (into boneless left and right halves and a piece with the skeleton)
three great people (e.g. of the Meiji Restoration)
Three Kingdoms period (of Chinese history, 220 CE-280 CE); Three Kingdoms period (of Korean history, 57 BCE-668 CE)
staying up all night three nights in a row; triple all-nighter
wasanbon; fine-grained Japanese sugar (traditionally used in wagashi); wagashi sweets made from wasanbon
three-game match; three-bout contest; a rubber (in a card game)
one's mind; one's inner feelings; (a decision hinging on) how someone feels about it
the early bird gets the worm
the Sun, the Moon and the stars; three 20-point cards (high-scoring meld)
sanshin; Okinawan traditional three-stringed instrument; precursor to the shamisen
shamisen; samisen; sanxian (Chinese lute); the three string instruments used in gagaku (biwa, wagon and sou); three strings; three-stringed instrument
triple jump; hop, step and jump
Estates General; States-General
the hole (between third and short); area between the third baseman and shortstop
New Year's period (January 1 to 3)
three people; day laborer (e.g. in construction); day labourer
Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)
Triad (secret Chinese society usually associated with organized crime)
three secondary Tokugawa branch families (Tayasu, Shimizu, and Hitotsubashi)
triple; three-way; threefold
third watch of the night (approx. 11pm to 1am)
tricolour flag; tricolor flag
the three worms (in Taoism); worms that inhabit the human gut and, on the eve of the 57th day of the sexagenary cycle, ascend to heaven during one's sleep to report on one's wrongdoings
three autumn months; three fall months; three years
Buddha triad; image of a Buddha attended by two Bodhisattvas; The Three Jewels; Buddha, the teachings of Buddha, and the community of monks and nuns; head and shoulders (stock price, etc. chart pattern); the three people one must esteem: master, father, teacher
the 36 (ancient Chinese military) strategies (of which the last resort was said to be beating a retreat)
three-cornered conversation
shamisen; samisen; three-stringed Japanese lute
12th anniversary of one's death
the three deities (Marici, Mahakala, Sarasvati); the three celestials (Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma)
triangular sink tidy (usu. used to strain waste)
the whole universe (of a billion worlds) that Buddha enlightened
The Three Little Pigs (fable)
(Asimov's) Three Laws of Robotics
very fond of; more fond of than eating; so fond of that someone would rather not eat than go without; (lit.) more important than three meals a day
three secondary Tokugawa branch families (Tayasu, Shimizu, and Hitotsubashi)
trikaya (three bodies of the Buddha)
Third Investigation Division (of the Japanese police); division responsible for investigating theft, burglary, shoplifting, etc.
meal consisting of soup, rice and three dishes (esp. namasu, nimono and yakimono)
Winter Triangle (asterism)
swinging strikeout; (several) vain attempts; failing despite giving one's best
The Three Unifiers (Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu)
the three powers of government (legislative, executive and judicial)
the smartest thing in a tight situation is to beat a retreat
separation of powers (legislative, executive and judicial)
right triangle; right-angled triangle
the three kleshas that poison the heart of man (desire, ill will and ignorance)
three temporal states of existence; past, present and future; three generations
type of traditional Japanese conical hat
three-times-three exchange of nuptial cups
perseverance prevails; (lit.) three years on a (cold) stone (will make the stone warm)
waistband; belt; cloth girdle; obi
three cups of sake which latecomers to a party are made to drink
the Three Sacred Treasures (Mirror, Sword and Jewels); three sacred emblems of sovereign rule; the three divine symbols of the Japanese imperial throne; (set of) three status symbols; three necessities
three wise monkeys (who "see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil")
three dot leader; ellipsis
fifty-three stations on the Tōkaidō (Edo-Kyoto highway in Edo-period Japan)
fifty-three stations on the Tōkaidō (Edo-Kyoto highway in Edo-period Japan)
glib tongue; eloquence or flattery designed to deceive
three-three-seven rhythmic clapping pattern; 3-3-7 beat
three women make a market; many women, many words; (lit.) three women gathering creates a racket
(the three) Baltic states; Baltic countries
big three dragons; winning hand consisting of pungs or kongs of each of the three types of dragon tiles
independent committee; third-party panel
three cardinal virtues (wisdom, benevolence and valour (valor)); (having) three uses (e.g. a kitchen knife); (having) three advantages (e.g. a method); three qualities of nirvana (dharmakaya, prajna and moksha); three qualities of parinirvana; three virtues of Buddhahood (benevolence, wisdom and renunciation of klesha)
tricolor dango eaten during cherry blossom viewing (esp. pink, white, and green)
senior grade of the third court rank
pettifogging lawyer; unscrupulous or unethical lawyer; shyster; casuist; sophist
three-line classified advertisement
threefold training; three divisions of the noble eightfold path
three types of relatives (e.g. father, children and grandchildren; parents, siblings, wife and children; etc.)
ready-made seal; cheap seal
kowtowing; bowing repeatedly; three kneelings and nine prostrations; my deepest respects
adoration which is performed three times or repeatedly; act of worship which is performed three times or repeatedly
Japan's three famous sights (Matsushima, Miyajima and Ama-no-Hashidate)
Homage to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha); oh no!; good heavens!; oops
15th day of the 1st, 7th and 10th lunar months; heaven, earth and man; January 1; New Year's Day; ternary
adenosine triphosphate; ATP
vinegar, soy sauce and mirin (or sugar) mixed in roughly equal proportions
the world of hungry spirits and the world of animals; three evil worlds hell; three evils (prostitution, drugs and venereal diseases)
Sanseido Kokugo Jiten (Japanese dictionary published by Sanseido)
Japan's three antinuclear principles (against producing, possessing and allowing the entry of nuclear weapons into Japanese territory)
Pacific saury (Cololabis saira); mackerel pike
pansy (Viola tricolor var. hortensis); garden pansy; wild pansy (Viola tricolor); heartsease
everybody doing well (e.g. purchaser, buyer and society); three-way satisfaction; all three parties doing well
three sides (length, width and height)
the three Han nations (of ancient Korea)
anuttara samyak sambodhi (supreme perfect enlightenment)
three-times-three exchange of nuptial cups
three main Kumano shrines (Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha)
Unit 731 (biological warfare unit of the Japanese Imperial Army)
petty underling; small fry
striking out three consecutive batters
Illustrated Sino-Japanese Encyclopedia (1712)
third mate; third officer
boneless rib (esp. of pork or beef); boned rib
the third estate; the bourgeoisie
sweet bread with three different fillings
combined vaccination for diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus
March Revolution (Austria and Germany, 1848); February Revolution (Russia, 1917)
Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism; (lit.) the three religions; Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism; Buddhism, Shinto and Christianity
the three most important cities (esp. in ref. to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya)
Spring Triangle (asterism)
Triple Intervention (diplomatic intervention by Russia, Germany and France over the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki)
Bhaishajyaguru triad; image of Bhaishajyaguru Buddha flanked by the Bodhisattvas Suryaprabha and Candraprabha
adoration which is performed three times or repeatedly; act of worship which is performed three times or repeatedly
threefold repetition of the "ipponjime" 3-3-3-1 hand-clapping pattern to celebrate a conclusion or completion
choppy sea; chopping waves; triangle wave
dark sweet liquid produced after the third heating in a thermal sugar-refining process; brown sugar
samya mandala (in Shingon); mandala where each deity is represented by an object (lotus flower, gem, sword, etc.)
hack writer; pulp-writer; penny-a-liner; scribbler
(Sun Yat-sen's) Three Principles of the People
equilateral triangle; regular triangle
The Six Secret Teachings and The Three Strategies of Huang Shigong (two ancient Chinese military treatises); secrets (of the art of war, etc.); mysteries
triangle eating; eating a meal (especially school lunches) by rotating between the staple food, main dish, and soup in order
Sanron sect (of Buddhism)
Third Arab-Israeli War (June 5-10, 1967); Six-Day War
the three entertainment district enterprises: eating houses, geisha houses, meeting places for assignations, etc.
eloquence or flattery designed to deceive
breaking into cold sweat when one is very embarrassed or scared
three Cs; three conditions that facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases (closed spaces, crowds, and close contact); three mysteries (Buddha's body, speech and mind)
afternoon snack (eaten around 3 o'clock); afternoon tea
recruit (former rank in the JSDF)
Amitabha triad; image of Amitabha Buddha flanked by the Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta
Sanron sect (of Buddhism)
38th parallel (that demarcates North Korea and South Korea)
winner of Japan's three main horse races
Third International; Communist International
Sanzu River (Japanese Buddhist equivalent of the River Styx); River of Three Crossings
to keep one's distance from someone (due to fear or because that person is superior)
object or shape that symbolizes the vow of a buddha or bodhisattva to save all life
riding triple (on a bicycle, motorcycle, etc.)
one's next three neighbors; one's next three neighbours
the three phases of matter: solid, liquid and gas
third of nine traditional astrological signs (corresponding to Jupiter and east)
Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (mythological rulers of ancient China)
alternation of three cold and four warm days (usu. in late winter and early spring)
three famous beauty spots
joint venture of government and business; business venture financed jointly by the public and private sectors; semi-public sector
each of the three being different from the other two; each of the three having his (her) own way
one's nearest neighbors; houses in one's immediate neighborhood; (lit.) the three houses across the street and the two houses on either side of one's house
guardian deity of the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha); three-person saddle
baseball played without a second base (children's game)
win worth 24000 points (or, if dealer, 36000 points)
deep admiration; repeatedly lamenting
January; (lit.) 13th month
the wrongdoer never lacks a pretext; even thieves have their reasons; give the devil his due
national of a third country; foreigner (esp. Chinese and Korean) resident in Japan
tic-tac-toe; noughts and crosses
three major sutras of Pure Land Buddhism
san jiao (triple heater; functional metabolic organ in Chinese medicine)
second anniversary of a death
Shakyamuni triad; Gautama triad; image of Shakyamuni (Gautama) Buddha flanked by two attendants
kanji "water" radical (radical 85); corruption; graft; alcohol; sake
turning thirty and therefore becoming independent; at thirty, one stands on one's own
32nd anniversary of death
Naoki Prize (literary award)
third force (e.g. in politics); third pole; Third Pole (i.e. the Hindu Kush Himalayan region)
triangular tin; triangular can
the importance of creating an environment conducive to a child's learning; (lit.) Mencius' mother, three moves
unlucky day for starting construction of a house (which would result in a fire that spreads to three adjacent houses)
Sanja Festival (Asakusa Shrine in Tokyo, third weekend of May)
best is Fuji, second is a hawk, third is an eggplant (of auspicious things to see in a dream, esp. one's first dream of the year)
three-part joke, where the first two parts are similar and mundane, while the third is the punchline (e.g. How do you get to my place? Go down to the corner, turn left, and get lost.); rule of three (in comedy writing)
March First Movement (1919 Korean anti-Japanese independence movement); Samil Movement
to look daggers at someone
three main sutras (of a school of Buddhism)
the three Senke schools of tea ceremony (Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakōjisenke)
the three famous ancient calligraphers (Emperor Saga, Tachibana (no) Hayanari and Kooboo Daishi)
ancient triangular-rimmed mirror decorated with gods and animals
soup made with salted or rice-bran-pickled fish, vegetables, and sometimes sake lees (Hokkaido local specialty dish)
being preoccupied with immediate (superficial) differences without realizing that there are no differences in substance; six of one and half a dozen of another
three-tiered court system; principle of a three-instance trial process
the thirty-six immortal poets (of the Heian period; as named by Fujiwara no Kintō)
three-player mahjong; sanma
Sandai Jitsuroku (sixth of the six classical Japanese history texts)
a woman's three obediences (father, husband and son; according to Buddhist and Confucianist teachings)
three-act structure (in screenwriting: setup, confrontation, resolution)
threefold truth (all things are void; all things are temporary; all things are in the middle state between these two) (in Tendai)
three special awards for wrestlers at the end of a tournament
Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Consort
traditional high-grade white sugar
The Three Major Duties (education, work and payment of taxes)
Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku (sixth of the six classical Japanese history texts)
the palace sanctuary, shrine of imperial ancestors and temple inside the Japanese imperial palace
musculus triceps surae; triceps muscle of the calf
thirty-three temples in the Kinki area containing statues of Kannon (Avalokitesvara)
endless cycle of rebirth through the three worlds of past, present, and future existences
it often takes time for one's actions to bear fruit; (lit.) planted peach and chestnut seeds take three years (to bear fruit), persimmons take eight
third string (of a shamisen, etc.)
Girls' Festival (March 3); Dolls' Festival
the three friends of winter (pine, bamboo and plum)
sergeant (JGSDF); sergeant second class
conquest of the three Koreas (legendary military invasion of the Korean kingdoms; 3rd century CE)
full signal strength (on a cellphone); good cellphone reception; (lit.) three bars
one metropolis and three prefectures (i.e. the Tokyo area: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama)
national of a third country; foreigner resident in Japan (esp. Chinese and Korean)
a woman has no home of her own in this world (because she has to obey her parents when she is young, her husband when she gets married, and her children when she is old)
three kongs; winning hand containing three kongs
1932 Theses (Comintern policy documents urging overthrow of Japan's imperial and metayage systems)
thirty-three temples sacred to Kannon (Avalokitesvara)
heads of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government
three activities (action, speech and thought)
Triple Entente (Great Britain, France, and Russia)
three great nobles of the Restoration; three statesmen (Okubo Toshimichi, Saigo Takamori and Kido Takayoshi) who played an important role during the Meiji Restoration
Buddha triad; image of a Buddha attended by two Bodhisattvas
time; meeting; coming together; equality, warning, or riddance of hindrances (esp. in esoteric Buddhism as vows of the buddhas and bodhisattvas)
Daiichi Sankyo (pharmaceutical company)
32nd note; demisemiquaver
assistant chief of staff, g3
the "three noes principle" of no drive, no interest, and no sense of responsibility; principle of indolence, indifference, and irresponsibility
third-party allocation of shares
lost thirty years; lost decades; period of economic stagnation in Japan that began ca. 1991
Dynasty Warriors (video game series)
third person singular present
many years of stress and anxiety (as would cause one's hair to grow white); (lit.) three-thousand jō of white hair (nine kilometers)
traditional high-grade white sugar
trigeminal neuralgia; tic douloureux
Triangulum (constellation); the Triangle
the three urban prefectures (Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka)
land-tax rate during the Edo period, in which the government took 70 percent of the year's crop and the farmers kept 30 percent
trigon (ancient triangular harp); sambuca
tertiary layer; tertiary formation
second lieutenant (JGSDF)
the three types of gagaku drums; (arch.) third division of the night (approx. 11pm to 1am)
Japanese paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata)
little three dragons; winning hand that contains two pungs or kongs of dragons and a pair of the third dragon
third quarter (of the year)
being thrice divorced; three-time divorcee; three x marks (i.e. three names struck from the family register)
one metropolis (Tokyo), one "circuit" (Hokkaido), two urban prefectures (Osaka and Kyoto) and 43 prefectures proper; prefectures of Japan
three parties (forces) opposing one another; three-cornered contest
Tripartite Pact (between Japan, Germany and Italy in WWII)
three shop system; system employed by pachinko parlours of using separate shops to exchange prizes for cash as a way of circumventing gambling laws
Three Principles on arms exports
the world of hungry spirits and the world of animals; three evil worlds hell
licensed red-light quarters
three kinds of beneficial friends: straightforward, sincere, and well-informed ones
the thirty guardian deities (one for each day of the lunar month)
MMR vaccine (for measles, mumps and rubella)
a student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)
three-tiered court system; principle of a three-instance trial process
the world of hungry spirits and the world of animals; three evil worlds hell
third-rate company director; executive in name only
chuck short ribs; chuck steak
triangular pyramid with equilateral base
the principle of see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil; the policy of "see-not, hear-not, and speak-not"
three-player mahjong; sanma
three monastic positions with management roles at a temple
petty officer third class (USN)
independent committee; third-party panel
combined vaccination for diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus
education of the head and hand and heart
three-person operation of a puppet (bunraku)
(waiting) impatiently; (spending) many a weary day; each moment seeming like an eternity
règle des trois unités; the three unities (time, place and action)
simultaneous contemplation of the threefold truth (form of Tendai meditation)
three greatest teas of Japan (Uji-cha, Sayama-cha and Shizuoka-cha)
a reading leaves one with ceaseless sighs of admiration
one reading (of a poem aloud) leaves one with ceaseless sighs of admiration
a woman has no home of her own in this world (because she has to obey her parents when she is young, her husband when she gets married, and her children when she is old)
the three grand national holidays (Prayer to the Four Quarters, Empire Day, the Emperor's Birthday; pre-1927)
three great oceans (Pacific, Atlantic and Indian)
very fond of; more fond of than eating; so fond of that someone would rather not eat than go without; more important than three meals a day
medium-sized earthenware sake cup
third person singular present
the non-paying lodger asks for a third helping of rice with much hesitation
three-cornered competition
Three Mountains of Yamato (Mt. Miminashi, Mt. Kagu, and Mt. Unebi)
3 part chorus; vocal trio
very eccentric; thoroughly unconventional; quite out of the ordinary
traditional method of stirring soba while cooking
common bean; snow pea; mangetout
three kinds of harmful friends: hypocritical, sycophantic, and glib-talking ones
triple pung; winning hand containing the same pung in each of the three suits
third law of thermodynamics
koto, alcohol and poetry; (lit.) the three loves; the three desires of the realms of existence
strikeout leader (in a given season); strikeout king
Japan's Three Famous Mountains (Mt. Fuji, Mt. Tate and Mt. Haku)
Dharma seals; three marks of existence (suffering, impermanence, non-Self)
a student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)
retribution spanning the three temporal worlds (present, past, future)
Samguk Sagi (historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea); History of the Three Kingdoms
three-color printing (red and yellow and blue); three-colour printing
the thirteen buddhas, bodhisattvas and wisdom kings
the three major labor laws (trade union law, labor standards law, and labor relations adjustment law)
referee officiating bouts of san'yaku ranked wrestlers
the common run of men; the average Joe; good-for-nothing (person)
all Buddhas of past, present and future
using mind, mouth and eyes to understand a book fully
three causes of Buddha nature
the early bird catches the worm
the importance of creating an environment conducive to a child's learning
thrice moving from house to house; the importance of creating an environment conducive to a child's learning
lieutenant-commander (JMSDF)
equiangular triangle; equilateral triangle; regular triangle
Disturbance of the Three Ports (riots in Korea in 1510); Sampo Waeran
Sanrizuka Struggle; campaign against the construction of Narita airport
avid desire; drooling over (something); watering at the mouth
sampan (wooden boat); lighter; ferry
kitchen maid; kitchen duties; cooking
phase III study; phase III trial
three-way sexual relationship; three-person marriage; ménage à trois; three-person domestic partnership
last 32 (in a tournament); round of 32
pars triangularis; triangular area; triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus
three banishment punishments (of different severity; under ritsuryō system)
three women make a market
two is a company, three is a crowd; one companion is better than two
low-ranking samurai; samurai of the lowest rank
children pay back their debt to their parents in full by age 3 (through their cuteness)
three-space jump; three-point jump
notoginseng (Panax pseudoginseng)
play at the center of three stones
play at the center of three stones
highest ranking prostitute in Edo's Yoshiwara red-light district (from the Hōreki era onward)
something can be learned from anyone; (lit.) if three walk together, I'll have a teacher
newly recruited wrestlers in the third round of presentation after mae-zumo
Third Epistle of John (book of the Bible)
a glib tongue (with fair words); fluent talk designed to deceive; talk something away
three-of-a-kind (in a dealt hand) of the April, May, July, or December suit
the dreaded 3rd week (in the life of a newborn; when some previously quiet babies suddenly turn colic)
firstly vision, secondly footwork, thirdly courage, fourthly technique (the most important aspects of kendo)
The Three-Body Problem (2008 novel and subsequent adaptations)
conquest of the three Koreas (legendary military invasion of the Korean kingdoms; 3rd century CE)
Japan's Three Famous Mountains (Mt. Fuji, Mt. Tate and Mt. Haku)
the three great desires (sleep, food and sex)
The University of the Third Age (U3A)
karmic retribution through the past, present, and future; three types of karma
Japan's Three Holy Mountains (Mt. Fuji, Mt. Tate and Mt. Haku)
three major diseases (cancer, cerebral stroke, acute myocardial infarction)
triton (nucleus of tritium)
referee officiating the third lowest sumo division
terrifying threes; terrible threes; threenager phase; (lit.) devilish threes
trinerbate venation (of a leaf); trinerve
private allocation (of new shares); third-party allocation
a child is an everlasting responsibility
the three guardian deities in time of war (Marici, Mahakala and Vaisravana)
the "thirty-percent autonomy" of local governments
measure twice and cut once; don't slack off until the job's done properly; (lit.) go around three times before you take a smoke
triploid (organism, cell, etc.); triplont
three-pronged vajra flung by Kukai on his return from China to determine the Holy Land of Esoteric Buddhism
Three Alls Strategy (Japanese scorched earth policy during the second Sino-Japanese War)
Triconodonta; Eutriconodonta; order of early mammals
San'ikugakuin Junior College
Sanseido Kokugo Jiten (Japanese dictionary published by Sanseido) (abbr)
triple valve; three-state valve
threenager; child in the terrifying threes
(the most thrilling relationships for a man are) another man's wife, a maidservant, a mistress, a prostitute, and finally his own wife
third reading (of a bill in the Imperial Diet)
sum of the length, width and height (of a package, etc.)
ternary operator; conditional operator
War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870); Paraguayan War
third law of thermodynamics
triple run; winning hand containing the same chow in each of the three suits
30 km/h zone (area in which the speed limit is 30 km/h)
The Third Man (1949 film)
third party beneficiary contract
final three bouts of the tournament day
3D computer graphics; 3DCG
three-phase alternating current
former san'yaku-ranked wrestler returning to that rank
the thirteen sects of Sect Shinto (Fuso-kyo, Taisha-kyo, Jikko-kyo, Konko-kyo, Kurozumi-kyo, Misogi-kyo, Ontake-kyo, Shinri-kyo, Shinshu-kyo, Shinto Shusei-ha, Shinto Taikyo, Taisei-kyo, Tenri-kyo)
third-party action against execution
Sanko Engineering Corporation
the three creator gods (Amanominakanushi no Kami, Takamimusuhi no Kami and Kamimusuhi no Kami)
baby colic (in infants around 3 months old)
Category III infectious disease
League of the Three Emperors (1873-1887)
SRIC Corporation; Sanwa Research Institute Corporation
starting with only a king on the board and three pawns in hand (as a handicap when teaching a beginner)
empty triangle; "L"-shaped formation of three stones (considered bad shape)
Sanbi (the three former provinces of Bizen, Bitchū and Bingo)
thirty-three sacred places in the Kanto region (which was previously known as Bandō)
even small mistakes can be costly
thirty-four (orig. thirty-three) sacred places in and around Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture
The Three Musketeers (1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas)
Three Noes (former Taiwan policy of no contact, no negotiation and no compromise with China)
cheap, malt-free beer-like alcoholic beverage
third quarter (of a year)
anti-communism, anti-capitalism, anti-fascism (policy of the Socialist Masses Party)
headstall, martingale, and crupper
final three bouts on the last day of a tournament
representative of Gifu and Mie prefectures
three-color process; three-colour process
thirteen orphans; winning hand containing one of each terminal and honor tile
crime for which one's three types of relatives will be punished; crime implicating one's relatives of all three types
three concentric circles; triple circle
augmented chord; augmented triad
Sankyo (Japanese pharmaceutical company); Sankyō
good things do not last long
wrestler newly promoted to a san'yaku rank
Sanda Line (Kobe Electric Railway); Sanda Line (Hankyu Bus)
the importance of creating an environment conducive to a child's learning
inverse trigonometric function; cyclometric function
diminished chord; diminished triad
kami of the three main Kumano shrines
three mental disturbances
uta-sanshin (variety of Okinawan folk music); singing and playing the sanshin; vocals and sanshin
winter, night, and rainy weather; the ideal conditions for reading
two-way switch (UK); three-way switch (US)
three causes of Buddha nature
three public corporations (Japan National Railways, Japan Monopoly Corporation, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) and five government enterprises (postal services, mintage, printing, management of state-owned forests/fields, and monopolization of alcohol)
Sanriku offshore earthquake (esp. June 15, 1896, March 3, 1933, and March 11, 2011); Sanriku earthquake
Japan's Three Holy Mountains (Mt. Fuji, Mt. Tate and Mt. Haku)
Three Peaks of Mount Haku (Gozengamine, Kengamine, Oonanjimine)
36 Initials (system for transcribing initial consonants of Middle Chinese)
six-three-three-four system of education (six years of elementary school, three years each of junior and senior high school and four years of university)
triangle headband; triangular scarf
last day of March; last day of the third lunar month (marking the end of spring)
Sansai school of tea ceremony
three-card betting game (e.g. oicho-kabu)
three methods of Chinese divination (Lian Shan of the Xia period, Gui Cang of the Yin period and Zhou Yi of the Zhou period)
visiting three shrines in the beginning of the year
tripod collar; tripod mount
three ministries (under the ritsuryō system: Ministries of Civil Services, Health and War); three departments (in Tang dynasty China: Secretariat, Chancellory and Dept. of State Affairs)
furthest pine tree from a noh stage (of the three placed in front of the bridge walkway)
six-three system of education (six years of elementary school, followed by three years of junior high school)
armor, helmet and shield (armour); kakurei, kakuun and kakumei (first, fifth and fifty-eighth years of the sexagenary cycle; times of civil unrest according to Onmyōdō)
the three calamities: fire, flood and storm
hourglass drum used in Nara-period court music
guanosine triphosphate; GTP
three bonds (in Confucianism: master and servant, father and son, husband and wife)
red meat, bird and fish flesh; (lit.) three disagreeable things
Sanyo Shinpan (consumer loan firm)
a row of training matches with the same opponent
Japanese Gynura (Gynura Japonica)
Sanmonto sect (of Shin Buddhism)
head and shoulders (chartist pattern)
three highest ranks in a ministry: minister, vice minister and parliamentary secretary
Sanchō Sect (of the Fuji School of Nichiren Buddhism; 1661-1673)
three main Kumano shrines (Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha)
three wholesome roots (no coveting, no anger, no delusion)
repeated reading; close (careful) reading; careful perusal
ritual stomping in unison on the final day of a tournament
Three Emperors' Alliance (1881; between Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Germany)
three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology
a student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)
Triodion; Lenten Triodion
Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Consort
full-day child (aged 0-2; at a certified center for early childhood education and care)
triaxial compression apparatus
sanbokan sour orange (Citrus sulcata)
Third Investigation Division (of the Japanese police); division responsible for investigating theft, burglary, shoplifting, etc.
high-grade white sugar imported from China
meat and the five pungent roots (avoided in Buddhist cuisine)
the three sacred mountains: Fuji, Atsuta, and Kumano
triaxial compression test
precepts given to an adherent prior to being consecrated as an Acharya (in esoteric Buddhism)
only a fool with no manners asks for another helping more than once; only fools are gluttons
very shrewd in preparing a means of escape; being very good at escaping danger
yellow stem borer (species of moth, Scirpophaga incertulas)
trigoniid (any clam of family Trigoniidae)
trident maple (Acer buergerianum)
unparalleled in Japan, China and India
three days' march (approx. 36.5 km)
three kinds of harmful friends: hypocritical, sycophantic, and glib-talking ones
three kinds of beneficial friends: straightforward, sincere, and well-informed ones