kakekotoba; pivot word; play on words (esp. in poetry); pun
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
aquarium fish; ornamental fish
formula; prescribed form; established formality
waste-water container (tea ceremony)
of no concern at all; no skin off my nose
short piece (of music, writing); small work (painting, sculpture, etc.); literary sketch; small article; small item
hostess bar where patrons are allowed to touch the hostesses' breasts
in the early period (of something); at the beginning
sun spider (any arachnid of order Solifugae); wind scorpion; camel spider; solpugid
Korean delegation to Japan (Edo period)
nothing but; nothing more than; nothing less than
to tell a person (something) emphatically; to let a person have it
animals that can legally be hunted; game animals
attempting two tasks at the same time, accomplishing neither; falling between two stools; (lit.) catching neither the horsefly nor the bee
falling asleep easily; finding it easy to fall asleep
unforgivable; inexcusable; unpardonable
dropout; straggler; outcast; failure
there's no other way; there are no other options; there are no alternative means
unthinkable; unimaginable; inconceivable; unclassifiable; never dreamt of
victory due to the opponent's foul
gardening; puttering around in the garden
man who drives a woman around for free; man used by a woman for his car
island country mentality; insular spirit; insularism; insularity
mousetrap; rattrap; rat poison; speed trap
flooring the gas pedal; pedal to the metal
to put to trial; to argue in court
apple core; core of an apple
Edo-period proclamation issued by the shogunate (or a daimyo, etc.) usu. to the general populace
grappling technique (e.g. judo)
attack under the cover of darkness; surprise attack; sneak attack
giant bird; great person; magnanimous person; hero
disappear without a trace; nowhere to be seen
not wearing a mask (in kendo, noh, etc.); sober face; sobriety; (arch.) face with no make-up; (arch.) unpainted face
left utterly helpless; have no one to turn to; unapproachable
hero; manly person; warrior