I'm told; is what I heard; is how it is, apparently; is what they said
from right to left; in one ear and out the other; nice and quick; with speed and address; without further ado
basic tone; underlying tone; trend; keynote
quietly; slowly; gracefully
manner; demeanour; demeanor; bearing
friendly chat; pleasant chat; lighthearted talk; friendly conversation
chirp; twitter; warble; whale tongue
romance (e.g. Arthurian romances); heroic tale; (nigh) impossible dream; adventurous spirit; (full-length) novel; romance
to be sorry; to beg someone's pardon; to be much obliged; to be grateful; to be amazed; to be greatly impressed
school route; street used by students going to and from school (esp. on foot)
class teacher; homeroom teacher; form teacher
order; command; directions; instructions
errand; mission; messenger; bearer; familiar spirit
Tokyo Metropolis (prefecture); Tokyo metropolitan area
contacting; (making) contact; connection (with a train, bus, etc.); joining (a railway line, etc.); connection (between matters, incidents, etc.); relation
council (consultatory, advisory); board of trustees
meeting; assembly; association; conjunction
guidance; lead; introduction; good offices; guide; primer
does not seem; unlikely; improbable
of course; certainly; naturally
to head out (for); to head (to); to go (to); to leave (for)
no sleep or rest; working day and night
play; recreation; playing (a sport); play; playing (a musical instrument); musical performance; play (theatrical performance)
substitute; replacement; stand-in; proxy; compensation; exchange
which; where; all; both; anyway; anyhow
dispatch; despatch; deployment; temporary employee (esp. from an agency); temporary worker; agency temp
to obey (an order, law, etc.); to abide by (a rule, custom, etc.); to follow (a person); to accompany; to go alongside (e.g. a river); to follow (e.g. a sign)
to recognise; to recognize; to know by sight; to become acquainted with
in a crowd; in droves; crawling (of insects); swarming; dragging (e.g. along the ground); trailing
sightseeing; watching; viewing; sightseer; spectator; viewer
admiration; wonder; astonishment
to long for; to yearn for; to hanker after; to be attracted by; to be drawn to; to aspire to
imagination; supposition; guess
hm; um; huh?; what?; nuh-uh; no
metal sake jug; sake warmer
to stick out one's tongue; to ridicule someone (behind their back); to laugh at someone
as one would expect; just as you'd expect (from); still; all the same; even ... (e.g. "even a genius")
gate; branch of learning based on the teachings of a single master; school; phylum; division; counter for cannons
guard; security guard; security officer
to let pass; to allow through; to transmit (e.g. light, sound, etc.); to conduct (electricity); to stick through (e.g. a hole); to force through (e.g. an opening); to connect (e.g. two places)