exaggerated advertisement; overblown advertising; hype
academic meritocracy; education-conscious society; society that places (excessive) emphasis on academic records
to praise (to the skies); to sing the praises (of); to extol
passing university entrance exams in the last year of high school (instead of failing then taking gap year(s))
to read between the lines
striped mullet (Mugil cephalus); redlip mullet (Chelon haematocheilus)
large industrial company; major corporation; big business
losing one's virginity; first-time sex
third year of high school; third-year high-school student
second year of high school; second-year high-school student
something unusual; something odd; something out of the ordinary
guarantor; surety; person responsible for another's behavior
welfare; public welfare; social welfare; (former) Ministry of Health and Welfare
to pitch in and help; to give someone a hand
first year of high school; first-year high school student
third year of junior high school; third-year junior high school student
cerebral infarction; (ischemic) stroke
down to earth; reasonable
sheltered upbringing; person who has had a sheltered upbringing; (lit.) hothouse upbringing
to bring up a subject; to touch on a matter
feeling of a full stomach after a meal; satisfaction of having a full stomach
dash at the beginning of a short-distance race; charging ahead at full strength from the beginning
contact network; phone tree; contact information for relevant people (in a given organization)
to take care doing something; to be prudent; to take no chances; to play it safe
to hang one's hopes on; to expect from
to be sluggish (business); to make little progress; to not grow as much as expected
to feign innocence; to feign ignorance; to wipe one's mouth
intellectual curiosity; out of curiosity; inquisitiveness
small dish (served as a part of an ordinary household meal); side dish
to feel that something is true or actually happening; to hit one (realization, thought); to sink in
innocent; sensitive; uncomplicated; unpretentious; straightforward
stormy weather (at sea); poor catch of fish (due to stormy seas); poor turn-out; recession
sale; selling; selling point; gimmick; seller; vendor