indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)
lucky omen; happy; auspicious
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
July; seventh month of the lunar calendar
at; in; at; when; by; with; and then
closing up shop (for the day); stopping business; going out of business
to be decided; to be settled; to be unchanging; to be the same (as always); to be a fixed rule; to be destined; to be well executed (of a manoeuvre in a sport, game, etc.)
the expectation is that ...; the reason is that ...; the fact is that ...; the explanation is that ...; it is that ...
hey; you; hey; hey; hold on; yo
capable person; talented person; human resources; personnel
weeding out; elimination (e.g. of unneeded employees); culling; selection (e.g. natural selection)
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
absolutely essential; indispensable; vital; critical
this; this one; this person; now; this point (in time); here; used to stress the subject of a sentence
language; dialect; word; phrase; speech; (manner of) speaking
is not; am not; are not; isn't it?
indicates emotion or admiration; indicates emphasis; I; me; wah!; boo!
from now on; after this; in the future; from here; from this point
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
how; in what way; how about
to think (about, of); to think over; to consider; to bear in mind; to think (that); to believe; to intend (to do)
indicates a question; or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); hmm; huh; very
unreliable; undependable; helpless; forlorn; worried; uneasy
no good; not serving its purpose; hopeless; wasted; cannot; must not
in that way; thus; so; so?
to say; to utter; to name; to call; to go (e.g. "the alarm went ping"); to make a noise
why?; what for?; how?; by what means?
that sort of; that kind of; like that; such; so
article; news story; report; account
to be placed on; to be set on; to be piled on; to appear (in print); to be mentioned; to be recorded
yes; yeah; huh?; what?; not; 's
seems; I think; I guess; don't you agree?; I thought you'd say that!
you said; he said; if ... then; do you seriously think that; I already told you; you should know by now that; the said ...
normal; ordinary; normally; ordinarily; local train; train that stops at every station
interview (i.e. television, newspaper, etc.)
without change; as is; just like; extremely similar; immediately; just after
things like; something like; someone like; such a thing as; (the fact) that; to think that
nonexistent; not being (there); unowned; not had; unique; not; impossible
spicy; hot; salty; harsh (criticism); severe (punishment); painful
temple; shrine; hall; company; (arch.) front room