copying; duplication; reproduction; copy
to defy accepted norms; to go off the rails; to be eccentric
lodging; inn; house; home; home of a servant's parents (or guarantor, etc.)
means of making contact; intermediary; go-between; connections; influence; pull
God only knows what may happen
details (of an incident, event, etc.); whole story; course of events; facts; circumstances; particulars
to blur; to shade off; to gradate; to obscure; to make ambiguous
staying behind; remaining; residual
sharing one's lot with another; being in the same boat
secret techniques (of an art or skill); inner mysteries; essence; quintessence; heart
to collect information; to gather knowledge
becoming red-hot; red heat; scorching heat; burning (love); passionate (e.g. debate); ardent
descent (to earth, esp. of a god); advent; epiphany; arrival (of an important person); appearance
ascent; climbing; ascending (path); upbound (esp. toward Tokyo)
one class (of students); one group (of people); one set (of items); one pair
(walk) briskly; at a brisk pace; quickly
hey; yo; hi; yessir; understood
to fiddle with; to monkey around with
speaking of; (I told you) already; come on
mother; mom; wife; you (of an elderly person older than the speaker); she
what is called; as it is called; the so-called; known as; so to speak
to wait for a long time; to wait and wait; to eagerly await
wild uproar; pandemonium; clamor of voices; noisy; uproarious; clamorous
to become better; to improve
construction at top speed
literature; books (reference); document
top (of a table, counter, etc.); tabletop; countertop; baking tray; baking sheet; sheet pan
stain; spot; smudge; spot (on one's skin, e.g. chloasma, liver spot); blemish; discoloration
order; sequence; procedure
main; principal; chief; primary; major
lately; recently; nowadays; terribly; awfully; extremely
smelling burnt; smelling scorched; smelling of gunpowder (i.e. as if armed conflict is about to break out); tense; suspicious; dubious
soon; before long; shortly; close (by); near; nearby
symmetry; balance; proportion; uniformity
usual; unchanging; eternal; same as always
fixed period; fixed term; regular; periodic; fixed-term commuter pass; fixed-term deposit
performance of one's official duties
to be entwined; to be involved
with a clash; with a thud; unexpectedly (meeting someone); suddenly (ending); abruptly (coming to a halt)