leading person; foremost figure
master; teacher; stable master
very; greatly; immense; enormous; serious; grave
to be better (than); to be superior; to surpass; to excel; to be excellent
practitioner; specialist; man (esp. one who is well-respected); samurai
means of making contact; intermediary; go-between; connections; influence; pull
to be; to exist; to have; to be located; to be equipped with; to happen; to come about
I'm told; is what I heard; is how it is, apparently; is what they said
at first; in the beginning; originally
disapproval; reluctance; unwillingness
to (take out and) show; to demonstrate; to point out (finger, clock hand, needle, etc.); to indicate; to show
purpose; goal; aim; objective; intention; motive
scholarly; scholastic; academic
finally; at last; barely; narrowly; gradually; little by little
honorific/polite/humble prefix; honorific suffix
understanding; comprehension; appreciation; sympathy
to receive; to get; to eat; to drink; to be crowned with; to wear (on one's head)
wonderful; splendid; magnificent; exceeding; incredible; remarkable
start; commencement; beginning; initiation
about when; about what time; how soon
to become; to get; to result in; to turn out; to consist of; to be composed of; to be completed
just now; at this moment; at this point of time
already; previously; before; undeniably; unmistakably
to face; to go towards; to head towards
medium (size); average (grade, level, etc.); in; within; during; while; currently (doing)
raising the curtain; opening (of an event); start; beginning
it seems; I think; I guess; right?; don't you agree?
chapter one; first chapter
portrait; likeness; picture
systematic; regular; routine
sound; noise; (musical) note; fame
to cease; to stop; to be over
counter for large animals (e.g. head of cattle); counter for insects in a collection; counter for helmets, masks, etc.
white horse; unrefined sake
small; little; slight; below average (in degree, amount, etc.); low (e.g. sound); soft (e.g. voice)
to coo at; to behave like a spoiled child; to snort; to sniff
door; gate; opening; title page
to open; to undo; to bloom; to unfold; to open (for business, e.g. in the morning); to be wide (gap, etc.); to widen