preface; foreword; introduction; beginning; start
the year end; end of the year; last days of the year
too; also; both A and B; A as well as B; even; as much as
to approach; to draw near; to be imminent; to press (someone for something); to urge; to compel
twelfth month (esp. of the lunar calendar); December
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; indicates a confident conclusion; indicates emotional emphasis; indicates question
already; previously; before; undeniably; unmistakably
day; days; sun; sunshine; (the) day; daytime; date
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
horizon (related to land)
at; in; to; toward; to; for; because of
to sink; to go under; to go down (e.g. sun); to set; to feel depressed; to become subdued
(in the) neighbourhood; neighborhood; around; about; for instance; say
with an extreme cold (i.e. temperature); lonelily; lonesomely; (acting) coldly (toward someone)
to try to ...; to be about to do ...; to decide to ...; to take as; to treat as; to use for; to suppose that (such) is the case
thin (of an object); pale; light; watery; thin; weak (taste, etc.); little (affection, etc.)
to wrap up; to pack; to cover; to envelop; to conceal (a feeling); to hide
living thing; living creature; animal; life
indication; sign; hint; tone (of the market)
to feel; to sense; to be moved (by); to be touched (by); to become infected with (an illness); to catch
extent; degree; limit; bounds; (span of) time; (a) distance; the state of
to fall completely silent; to become still as death
person; someone; human beings; mankind; human (Homo sapiens); (other) people; others
shoji (paper sliding door)
to open; to undo; to bloom; to unfold; to open (for business, e.g. in the morning); to be wide (gap, etc.); to widen
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
softly; gently; stealthily; secretly; to leave alone; to leave as it is
to peek (through a keyhole, gap, etc.); to look down into (a ravine, etc.); to peek into (a shop, bookstore, etc.); to sneak a look at; to take a quick look at; to peep (through a telescope, microscope, etc.); to stick out (a scarf from a collar, etc.)
darkness; the dark; bewilderment; despair; hidden place; secrecy
dimly; faintly; absentmindedly; vacantly; idly; aimlessly
if; when; and; as well as; with; together with; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.)
to float; to be suspended; to rise to the surface; to appear; to come to mind; to have inspiration
withering of vegetation in winter; winter decay; winter-blight; bleakness of winter; business slump in winter (esp. in February)
garden; yard; courtyard; field (of action); area
to stare (at); to gaze (at); to look hard (at); to watch intently; to fix one's eyes (on)
at; in; at; when; by; with; so
truth; reality; proper; right; genuine; authentic
good; OK; all right; fine; very well; will do
the expectation is that ...; the reason is that ...; the fact is that ...; the explanation is that ...; it is that ...
indicates a question; indicates an embedded question; indicates an indirect question; or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); hmm
back; rear; background; behind the scenes
to ask; to inquire; to blame (someone) for; to accuse of; to care about; to regard as important
army; armed forces; military authorities; team; group
important post; important office; key position
because of; on account of; about; on; per; for every
-ian (e.g. Italian); -ite (e.g. Tokyoite); -er (e.g. performer, etc.); person working with ...; man; person