I wish to state respectfully that...
consultation; question; enquiry; inquiry
in a sense; in some way; to an extent
bitter (e.g. criticism); sharp; biting; severe; scathing; harsh
reversal; return; return gift; return favour (favor); barb (on a fishing hook); mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin
declaration; indication; representation; manifestation; demonstration; expression
way (of doing); manner; method; means
to hold in one's mouth (without biting, before chewing or swallowing, etc.)
to get down to business; to cut to the chase; to get straight to the point; to move on to the main subject
high praise; great admiration; rave reviews
diversion (action meant to attract attention away from the real objective); feint
rotation (usu. around something); revolution; turning
to assemble; to set up; to construct
offense and defense; offence and defence
advantage; benefit; merit; good point; plus
violent emotion; passion; fury
to indulge in; to give oneself up to; to be obsessed by; to be engrossed in; to be lost in; to be absorbed in
to realize; to realise; to hit upon something
to raise; to lift; to boost; to enhance
last drink (of sake); last glass; last cup
bidirectionality; interactivity
to read between the lines
depending on; dependent on
to have heard somewhere; to sound familiar
to feel around for; to fumble for; to investigate; to probe into; to explore (parts unknown); to enjoy (natural beauty)
depths; deep place; bottom (of one's heart)
stage; step; level; rank; order; stairs
to draw off; to run out; to flush out
beginning; clue; starting point
to seize; to catch; to obtain; to acquire; to understand; to grasp
information; experience; observation; seeing and hearing
to sever; to cut off; to suppress; to eradicate; to abstain (from); to give up
to shut out; to bar; to lock out; to exclude
to form; to shape; to make; to mold; to mould; to build up
astringency; constriction; collecting (e.g. opinions); putting together; extraction (of taxes); convergence (of light); convergence
exhilarating; thrilling; intensely pleasurable