pole; rod; line; dash; spoken monotonously
soft; tender; gentle; mild; light (topic, book, etc.); informal
to turn; to rotate; to go around; to circle; to make the rounds (of); to go around (several places); to go by way of
to harm; to hurt; to injure; to miss one's chance to (do something); to fail to (do what one ought to have done)
slapping on (stamp, sticker); flopping down
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
to (enter and) sit down; to plop oneself down; to plant oneself down; to sit down (and refuse to move); to sit in (in protest)
to kneel down on one knee; to genuflect
to run away; to flee; to avoid (a question, responsibility, etc.); to evade; to win without being overtaken; to hold off the other contenders (until the finish)
shape; form; appearance; style; state; situation
fairy tale; fairy story; nursery tale
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
easy; trifling; harmless; nothing of the sort; not at all
ordinary people; common folk; general masses; man in the street; populace at large
common; ordinary; fair (e.g. fight); gracious; frank; open
to swallow; to gulp down; to understand; to grasp; to engulf; to swallow up
grasp (of the situation, meaning, etc.); understanding; control; hold; grip
state of affairs; situation; conditions; circumstances
whirling; revolving; coiling around; winding around; working tirelessly; working hard
truth; reality; proper; right; genuine; authentic
to get one's head around; to think about
(not) at all; (not) a bit; (not) in the least; (not) in the slightest
to support; to maintain; to bring up; to raise; to adopt (a child); to cultivate (a habit, a quality, etc.)
to become blunt; to grow dull; to become less capable; to weaken; to falter
minority ethnic group; ethnic minority; minority race
somewhere; in some respects; in some way
to cross the ocean (i.e. to go to or come from overseas)
rather; sooner; preferably; on the contrary; if anything
continent; continental Asia (esp. mainland China); continental Europe
to grow long (e.g. hair, nails); to lengthen; to extend; to reach out; to hold out; to straighten; to smooth out
to wait; to await; to look forward to; to depend on; to need
to get worked up; to be eager (enthusiastic); to rouse oneself
calm; quiet; gentle; moderate; reasonable; amicable
present condition; existing state; status quo; current state
road; path; route; way; distance; journey; road (e.g. to victory)
choices; alternatives; options
to increase; to add to; to augment
frustrated (over a failure, humiliation or injustice); annoyed; chagrined; (bitterly) disappointed; bitter; vexed
anyway; anyhow; at any rate; in any case
I'm sorry; my apologies; may I come in?; permission; leave; dismissal
kiss; squeak (of a mouse); with a slurp
without losing time (e.g. to do); without even time for (doing something)
to become damp; to become moist; to become wet; to lack energy; to be in a slump; to be in low spirits
thank you; thanks; much (thanks); very (sorry); quite; really; somehow