to polish; to shine; to brush (e.g. teeth); to refine (e.g. a skill); to improve; to cultivate
image; figure; figure; form; image
cleaning; clean-up; garbage collection; scavenging
work; operation; manufacturing; fatigue duty
to perform; to do; to conduct oneself; to carry out
company; corporation; workplace
establishment; founding; incorporation (of a business)
enterprise; business; company; corporation
to aim at (for, to do, to become); to try for; to have an eye on; to go toward; to head for
electricity; (electric) light
gas (state of matter, e.g. poison gas, natural gas); gasoline; gas; dense fog; thick fog; gas stove
water supply; water service; channel; strait; water course; waterway
bank; banking institution
railroad; railway; rail transport
(way of) life; living; livelihood; life circumstances
important; significant; precious; valuable; careful
to vitalize (e.g. an industry); to invigorate; to energize; to establish (e.g. a company); to build up; to set up
company; association; regional Chinese god of the earth (or a village built in its honour); counter for companies, shrines, etc.
to reach; to amount to; to be up to the task; to come up to; to compare with; to be a match (for)
turning point; transition phase
sure; certain; reliable; trustworthy; If I'm not mistaken; If I remember correctly
life; lifetime; career; for life; all one's life; throughout one's life
to watch over; to watch attentively
national isolation; closing the country (to foreigners); sakoku; policy of national isolation enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate
it does not mean that ...; I don't mean that ...; it is not the case that...
in this manner; in this way; like this
Ryukyu; chain of southwestern Japanese islands comprising Okinawa Prefecture
daimyo (Japanese feudal lord)
using as an intermediary; through
to associate with; to keep company with; to go out with; to go along with; to follow someone's lead; to accompany someone
area under direct control (of the shogun)
China under the Qing dynasty; Qing China; Qing dynasty
lively; active; vigorous; animated; brisk
rumor; rumour; gossip; hearsay
book; document; calligraphy (esp. Chinese); penmanship; handwriting; letter
periodic; regular; routine
foreign; abroad; overseas