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 form; to shape; to make; to mold; to mould; to build up
to go; to move (in a direction or towards a specific location); to proceed; to take place; to pass through; to come and go; to walk
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
to decorate; to ornament; to display; to exhibit; to mark (e.g. the day with a victory); to adorn (e.g. the front page)
pine tree (Pinus spp.); highest (of a three-tier ranking system)
bamboo (any grass of subfamily Bambusoideae); middle (of a three-tier ranking system)
Japanese apricot (Prunus mume); Japanese plum; ume; lowest (of a three-tier ranking system)
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
other (place, thing, person); the rest; outside; beyond; nothing except; nothing but
southern sky; heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica); nandina
such things as ...; and ... and; the minute (that) ...; no sooner than ...; be; is; o
next; hypo- (i.e. containing an element with low valence); order; sequence
et cetera; etc.; or something; the likes of; for example; for instance
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)
to plant; to grow; to insert; to transplant; to inoculate (e.g. an infectious agent); to instill (idea, value, etc.)
pupil; student; schoolchild
to take; to pick up; to pass; to hand; to get; to obtain; to adopt (a method, proposal, etc.)
difficult; hard; impossible; unfeasible; fussy; particular; gloomy
appearing ...; looking ...; way to ...; method of ...ing; form; style
to come near; to let someone approach; to bring near; to bring together; to deliver (opinion, news, etc.); to send (e.g. a letter); to let someone drop by
eh?; what?; yes; that's correct; (arch.) strengthens a question, assertion, etc.; (arch.) hey
one; 1; best; first; foremost; beginning; start
bowl; pot; flowerpot; crown; brainpan
yen (Japanese monetary unit); circle
at; in; at; when; by; with; and then
sales; selling; marketing
majority; more than half; most (of); mostly; largely; mainly
called; named; as many as; as much as; all ...; every single ...
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
Mr.; Mrs.; Miss; politeness marker
yes; yeah; hum; hmmm; oof
lie; fib; mistake; error; unwise move; bad decision
to stay at (e.g. hotel); to be docked; to be berthed; to be moored
serious; not joking; straight
there (place relatively near listener); there (place just mentioned); that place; then (of some incident just spoken of); that (of point just raised); (arch.) you
to come (spatially or temporally); to approach; to come back; to do ... and come back; to come to be; to become
man; male; fellow; guy; male lover; boyfriend