at a young age; while still young
teacher; instructor; sensei; title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc.; intimate or teasing form of address; (arch.) one's elder
to study (in depth); to learn; to take lessons in
fully fledged; full-fledged; proper; competent; qualified; full-grown
leader; guide; mentor; coach
-less; lacking; non-existing
ordinary person; unenlightened person
banter; raillery; ridicule; teasing; making fun of
anyone; anybody; everyone; whoever
to approach; to draw near; to be imminent; to press (someone for something); to urge; to compel
to polish; to shine; to brush (e.g. teeth); to refine (e.g. a skill); to improve; to cultivate
secret swordsmanship (of a specific school); secret traditions of fencing
enlightenment; spiritual awakening; opening one's eyes to the truth; gaining eyesight; restoring eyesight; opening the eyes
how; in what way; how (much); to what extent; however (much); no matter how
to forge; to temper; to drill; to train; to discipline
reason; principle; general principle (as opposed to individual concrete phenomenon); (in neo-Confucianism) the underlying principles of the cosmos
to explain; to advocate; to preach; to persuade
the body; the flesh; the outer man; one's physique
each individual; each person
physical strength; muscle strength
difficult to understand; unintelligible; abstruse
vague; ambiguous; shady; disreputable; fuzzy
dimness; obscurity; indistinctness; unclear; unintelligible
tempering (metal); annealing; forging; toughening; disciplining; training
improvement (e.g. in skill, ability); advance; progress; communication of opinions of the general populace to those of high rank
quick; rapid; swift; satisfactory
quickly, suddenly (while one is watching); before one's eyes
apprenticeship; probation; learning by observation; apprentice; trainee; probationer
stopping at; going no further than
(art of) fencing; swordsmanship
reasonably; fairly; hurriedly; in a rush; approximately; about
another style; another school (of thought, karate, etc.)
to slander; to libel; to criticize; to criticise
just because; even if; even though
still more; even more; much more; increased; greater
to swing; to shake; to wave; to veer; to deflect; to lean towards
at the most; at best; to the utmost; as much as possible; as much as one can
steady; honest; sober; straightforward
to become clear; to be made public
unripe; green; inexperienced; immature; unskilled
feeling keenly; fully realizing