to cover a surface; to spread all over; to blanket; to lay
luxurious; magnificent; extravagant; sumptuous
main hall; great hall; large hall; reception hall
light; easy; non-serious; minor
to meet; to assemble; to congregate
dress; attire; clothing; getup; outfit; personal appearance
smiling; beaming; radiant; bright; cheerful
friendly chat; pleasant chat; lighthearted talk; friendly conversation
dark; gloomy; overcast; heavy; leaden; dull
shogunate; bakufu; shogun's headquarters; Imperial Guards office; residence of the Imperial Guards commander
Satsuma and Chōshū (clan alliance)
confrontation; opposition; antagonism
whole nation; whole land; whole country
warfare; the maelstrom of war; disorder brought about by war
to trap (into a difficult situation); to put (in a fix); to capture (a castle, fortress, etc.); to take; to drop (something) into
still; even now; to this day
to mourn; to lament; to be sorry; to regret; to repent
Britain and France; Anglo-French
both (hands, parents, sides, etc.); counter for carriages (e.g. in a train); counter for vehicles; ryō; tael; ryō; pre-Meiji unit of currency, orig. the value of one ryō of gold
camp (supporters of a doctrine, party, etc.); faction (of a party); military camp; encampment; cantonment
support; participation; assistance; complicity; conspiracy
(United States of) America; USA; US
China under the Qing dynasty; Qing China; Qing dynasty
chaos; confusion; disorder; chaotic; confused; uncertain
to spoil; to ruin; to destroy; to make a mess of
Saturday; earth; dirt; land; lands; earth (third of the five elements)
state (of the US, Australia, India, Germany, etc.); province (e.g. of Canada); continent; province (of Japan); province (of ancient China); prefecture
ronin; masterless samurai; high school graduate waiting for another chance to enter university after having failed the yearly entrance examination; person out of work; jobless person; (arch.) wanderer
minimum; (very) least; at least some (comfort, etc.); only (consolation, saving grace, etc.); sole
perseverance; determination; tenacity; energy
reproachful; resentful; spiteful
old tale; folk tale; legend; reminiscence
reformation; revolution; Meiji Restoration; Japan Innovation Party; Nippon Ishin no Kai
incompetence; inefficiency; inability; incompetent person
standing in each other's way; holding each other back; getting in the way of each other's success; hindering each other's progress
to disagree; to dispute; to fight (over)
tide; current; sea water; opportunity; chance
to be destroyed; to perish; to go out (e.g. fire); to destroy; to get rid of; to extinguish
pitiful; heartbreaking; heartrending; touching; tragic; sad