irony; sarcasm; unexpected; different from what one expected; (only) surface; something superficial
raising the curtain; opening (of an event); start of a season
our country; our land; one's own country
economic; financial; economical; thrifty; frugal
as a matter of fact; to tell the truth
vivid (memory, description, etc.); fresh; graphic; fresh (blood, scar, etc.); still new; recent
to reach; to get to; to arrive at
period of maturity; adolescence; puberty
to step into (e.g. someone else's territory); to break into; to raid; to come to grips with; to get to the core of
to hit; to run into; to light on; to strike into; to come against; to deadlock
good luck; fortune; happiness; harvest; yield
first; firstly; first of all; Introduction; Preface
focus (e.g. photographic); focal point
to place (in position); to fix; to install; to seat (someone); to settle (upon something); to fix (e.g. one's gaze)
second part (of three); second volume; middle part; novelette; novella; short novel
sword (esp. a large, double-edged one); blade; bayonet; swordsmanship; stinger; ovipositor
wood; woods; forest; bunch (of something); cluster; line
argument; discussion; theory (e.g. of evolution); doctrine; essay; treatise
spirits of war dead; person of great ability; soul of a talented person
workmanship; craftsmanship; grades; results; quality (e.g. of a crop); dealings
honor; honour; glory; (arch.) prosperity
to finish up; to complete; to finish off; to get through; to polish off
center; centre; middle; -centered; -centred; -focused
together; mutually; fellow
translation; version (e.g. "English version")
candidate; contender; prospect; candidacy; candidature; nomination
large-scale work; voluminous work; monumental work; great work; masterpiece
The Sea of Fertility (tetralogy by Mishima)
spring snow (usu. large snowflakes)
beginning; start; first (in line, etc.); origin; such as ...; not to mention ...
Japan Self-Defense Forces; JSDF; self-defence force; self-defense force
boot camp for new recruits (conducted by Japan's Self-Defence Force)
shield; buckler; escutcheon; pretext
second division; secondary division
runaway horse; galloping horse
dawn; daybreak; event (e.g. "in the event of ..."); occasion; occurrence