four Taoist gods said to reign over the four directions; four gods said to reign over the four seasons
blue dragon (an auspicious creature in Chinese mythology); Azure Dragon (god said to rule over the eastern heavens)
Vermilion Bird (god said to rule over the southern heavens); seven mansions (Chinese constellations) of the southern heavens
White Tiger (god said to rule over the western heavens); seven mansions (Chinese constellations) of the western heavens
Black Tortoise (god said to rule over the northern heavens); seven mansions (Chinese constellations) of the northern heavens
giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis); qilin (Chinese unicorn)
Chinese firebird; Chinese phoenix
Yinglong; dragon and rain deity in Chinese mythology
Mount Penglai; Penglai Island; sacred mountain (e.g. Mount Fuji, Mount Kumano, etc.); Kansai New Year decoration (made from food); Formosa; Taiwan
Mt.; Mount; (fig.) Mt.; (fig.) Mount
snake; serpent; large snake
the north; northward; northern direction; northern part (e.g. of a country); northern district
protection; safeguard; shugo (Kamakura or Muromachi period military governor)
river management; river improvement; flood control
the future (usually distant); future tense; the world to come
good or bad luck; fortune
foresight; foreknowledge; intimation; premonition; prediction
black curtain; wirepuller; mastermind; backroom manipulator
large part; greater part; people in general; general public; mostly; for the most part
to intimidate; to frighten; to scare; to threaten (e.g. peace); to jeopardize; to endanger
to be affected; to put on airs; to act like (something one isn't); to pretend to be
to omit; to leave out; to overtake; to pass; to say; to speak
loss (of something); disadvantage; mistake; error; flaw; defect
legend; tradition; biography; life; method; way
statement; remark; observation; utterance; speech; proposal
(just) making sure; just to be sure; just in case; for caution's sake
surely; undoubtedly; sternly; severely; having no slack; rigid
entrusting (something to a person); consignment (of goods); putting in someone's charge; trust; commission
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
gaining time; stalling for time; time-buying
suitable time; good time; propriety; moderation
to yield oneself (to something); to devote oneself (to something); to surrender oneself (to something)
to cross over; to cross; to pass through; to exceed; to surpass; to be more (than)
still; much more; (not) yet; still a long way to go; still a long way off; not there yet
distance; journey; itinerary; path (e.g. to one's goal); way; process
to shake; to sway; to waver
stomach; Chinese "stomach" constellation (one of the 28 mansions)
soundly (sleeping); fast (asleep)
to end in vain; to be wasted effort
being out of time; passing the deadline; time-out
drama; play; powerful drug
suddenly; all of a sudden
to smash; to break into pieces
to resound; to be heard far away; to reverberate; to shake; to come (home); to remain (with someone)