long time; long interval; for quite some time
change; variation; variety; diversity; inflection; declension
if you think about it; come to think of it
funny; comical; humorous; ridiculous; silly; absurd
fast-talking; rapid talking
to let out a cry; to shout
newcomer; new figure; new member; modern humans (from Cro-Magnon man onwards); Homo sapiens
making (a report, plan, contract, etc.); drawing up; writing out; preparing; creating (a file, website, account, etc.)
charge; duty; person in charge; connection; linking
skillful; skilled; proficient; flattery
to copy; to imitate; to counterfeit; to forge
approximate age; apparent age; marriageable age (esp. of a woman); age of maturity; age (when ...); for years (past)
shock (emotional); shock (physical); impact; crisis (esp. financial); event that rattles the markets; (circulatory) shock
tactics; strategy; military operation; naval operation
for the first time in one's life
mother; mom; wife; you (of an elderly person older than the speaker); she
to stroke; to caress; to brush gently; to comb (hair); to smooth down
to take down; to bring down; to drop off (a passenger); to let off; to withdraw (money); to use for the first time; to wear for the first time
top and bottom; high and low; going up and down; rising and falling; going and coming back; upper and lower classes; ruler and ruled
trouble; bother; annoyance; to be troubled (by); to be bothered (by); to be inconvenienced (by)
ordinary; common; commonplace; mediocre; unremarkable; undistinguished
to throw out one's chest; to be puffed up with pride
unhappiness; sorrow; misfortune; death (usu. of a relative); bereavement
future; (future) prospects; bringing (from abroad, another region, etc.); bringing about; giving rise to
to doubt; to distrust; to be suspicious of; to suspect
to make use of aizuchi; to back-channel; to throw in interjections to show that one is paying attention
directly opposite; right in front
to bump into; to run into; to encounter; to meet with; to clash (of opinions, people, etc.); to conflict
certain; sure; definite; reliable; sound; solid
to bear; to stand; to support; to withstand; to be fit for; to be equal to
continuation; rest (of the story, work, etc.); flow (e.g. of a piece of writing); pacing (of a story); succession (of); sequence
memories; recollections; reminiscence
recent state; present state; present condition; current status; current circumstances
to be convinced (that); to be under the impression (that); to make up one's mind; to set one's heart on; to be obsessed (with a thought, idea, etc.); to think about obsessively
gap; narrow space between things; valley; gorge; loophole (in a castle wall); arrow slit
occurrence; happening; incident; event
to catch; to capture; to grasp (e.g. meaning); to perceive; to captivate; to move (one's heart)
at first; in the beginning; originally
to occur to; to remind of; to come to mind
aizuchi; backchanneling; interjections indicating that one is paying attention; two smiths hammering at an object in turn
desperately; for one's dear life
all you have to do is; just; that's all
to loosen; to slacken; to relax (attention, efforts, etc.); to let down (one's guard); to relax (a rule); to ease (e.g. restrictions)