chilled soba served on a dish (often on a wicker basket or in a shallow steaming basket) with dipping sauce
hundred-yen store; 100 yen shop
to hunger for love; to starve for love
hearing; audible sound; rumour; rumor; tasting (alcohol, tea, etc.)
opium poppy (Papaver somniferum)
urge; demand; importunity
reading (farsighted) glasses; spectacles for the aged
maternity leave; paternity leave
on a routine basis; regularly; habitually
one turn; spinning around; complete change; reversal; (an) about-face
merit system (as opposed to seniority); meritocracy; ability-ism
dangling; hanging; suspended; pending; half done; in limbo
parenthood; parent or someone with children on the way (esp. an expecting mother); (of a fish) containing roe (eggs)
look who's talking; you're one to talk; you can talk
to get mad; to be highly offended; to get pissed off; to get angry; to lose one's cool
wise saying; famous saying
sesame seeds; sesame (Sesamum indicum)
kindergartener; preschooler
one more; another; the other; not quite; not very good; lacking
certain amount; some; certain person; Mr So-and-so; (arch.) I; (arch.) me
feigned ignorance; pretending not to recognize (somebody); unconcerned air; indifference
to be certain of; to have faith in; to believe completely; to trust (someone completely)
this and that; one thing or another
very important person; VIP
speech; words; one's lines; remarks
all together now!; one, two, go!; ready, set, go!; heave, ho!; oops-a-daisy
to cramp up; to tighten; to be insistent; to persist (in one's opinion); to act tough; to bluff; to prop up (e.g. with a post)
home delivery (of food); outside catering
it was, wasn't it?; must have been; I think (it was); how might it have been?
unexpectedly; surprisingly
(game pieces, soldiers, etc.) under one's control
to hold down; to twist someone's arm; to force (someone) to yield (e.g. an argument); to make (someone) surrender
contacting; getting in touch; communication; call; message
feature (e.g. newspaper); special edition; report
to get (a joke or explanation); to strike home; to click; to know intuitively
district of a town; city block (of irregular size)
ignorant of the ways of the world
to come off; to slip down; to slip off