indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
battlefield; battleground
underground; below the ground; world of the dead; the grave; underground (activities, movement, etc.); secret
foot; paw; leg; gait; pace; bottom structural component (i.e. radical) of a kanji; means of transportation
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
stairs; stairway; staircase
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
to descend (e.g. a mountain); to go down; to alight (e.g. from bus); to get off; to step down; to retire; to be granted
to go; to move (in a direction or towards a specific location); to proceed; to take place; to pass through; to come and go; to walk
step; stair; grade; rank; counter for breaks in written language (or speech, etc.); dan
to step on; to tread on; to set foot on (e.g. foreign soil); to stand on; to experience; to undergo; to follow (rules, principles, etc.)
sound; noise; note; fame; Chinese-derived character reading
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)
cave; hollow; cavity; hollow
to jump; to leap; to break up; to close; to hit (e.g. to have a car hit something or someone)
surroundings; environs; circumference
to shine on; to illuminate; to compare (with); to refer to
before one knows; before one becomes aware of; unnoticed; unawares
to be lost (e.g. luggage); to be missing; to be used up; to be run out; to disappear (e.g. pain); to be lost (e.g. a dream, confidence)
now; the present time; just now; another; more
guidance; leadership; leading the way
light; illumination; ray; happiness; hope; influence
all that one has; all that there is; the whole
be; is; did; (have) done; please; do
youth; child (esp. of the young son of someone of high social standing); young; new
this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
to guide; to lead; to show the way; to derive; to deduce
to be seen; to be in sight; to look; to seem; to come
be supposed or expected to (do); be sure to (do); ought to (do)
what; you-know-what; that thing; whatsit; whachamacallit; (not) at all; (not) in the slightest
mark (for quick identification or recognition); sign; landmark; guide; (arch.) trademark
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
to advance; to go forward; to precede; to go ahead (of); to make progress; to improve; to deepen
endorsing and questioning the preceding statement; lamenting reflections on the preceding statement
that; it; then; that point (in time); (arch.) there; (arch.) you
the more ... the more ...; as; (arch.) while; (arch.) during; (arch.) because; (arch.) since
dark; gloomy; depressed; dispirited; dark (in colour); dull; ill-boding
or; either ... or; maybe; perhaps; some ... and others ...; sometimes ... and at other times ...
in this way; thus; such; uh...
only; just; merely; as much as; to the extent of; enough to
that's the way it is; yes; is that so?; is it?
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
true character; true heart; true spirit
other side; opposite side; other party