time; hour; occasion; case; chance; opportunity
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
Bakumatsu period; closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate; end of the Edo period
Dutch studies; studies of Western knowledge
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
to study; to complete (a course); to order (one's life); to repair (a fault one has committed)
in order to; for the purpose of; must; should
Edo (shogunate capital, now Tokyo); Yedo
Sakuma Shouzan (1811-1864)
cram school; private tutoring school; juku
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
entering an institution; beginning training; primer; manual; introduction (to)
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
older brother; elder brother
foot of a mountain; base of a mountain; mine; colliery; owner of a mountain; operator of a mine
the world; society; sphere; circle; world-renowned; world-famous
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)
to move; to stir; to operate; to run; to make a move; to take action; to be touched
large junk, with capacity for 1,000 koku of rice
double; twice (as much); times (as much); -fold; 1-nth; 1 to n
to be; to exist; to have; to be located; to be equipped with; to happen
what; how many; many; a lot of; several; a few
authority; expert; counter for messages, letters, notes, documents, etc.; understanding (esp. of male-female relations); tact; supernatural powers
to take the form of (esp. in ref. to a spirit, fox, raccoon dog, etc.); to assume the shape of; to disguise oneself as; to change radically; to metamorphose; to improve unexpectedly and dramatically (esp. of an actor, artist, rikishi, etc.)
to rub; to crumple; to massage; to argue; to have a heated discussion; to train; to coach
founding a country; opening of a country (e.g. Japan) to the world; ending (a policy of) national seclusion
indicates a question; or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); hmm; huh; very
no; nay; well; er; you're welcome; not at all
country; state; region; national government; central government; home (i.e. hometown, home country); (arch.) province (of Japan)
halving; dividing (into two parts); bisection; the two equinoxes (vernal and autumnal)
dispute; controversy; debate; argument; taking issue
by means of; due to; because of; according to
big; large; loud; extensive; spacious; important
to shake; to sway; to waver
to catch; to capture; to catch hold of (someone); to stop (e.g. a stranger in the street); towards (someone); at (someone)
to punish; to penalize; to penalise
extreme foolishness; grave stupidity; big fool; damn idiot; utter fool
win; victory; beautiful scenery; scenic spot; counter for wins
large; big; older; senior; final; ultimate
extreme; terrible; absurd; unreasonable; fool; idiot
hey; you; hey; hey; hold on; yo
this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
to change; to be transformed; to move to; to be different; to be uncommon
good; advantage; sake; purpose; consequence; result
number one; first; best; most; game; round