might is right; history is written by the victors; winners are always right and losers are always in the wrong
high-pressure salesmanship; the hard sell; aggressive peddling
to be made an example of; to be made a victim of; to be exposed to ridicule
degree of cloudiness; cloud cover
traditional Japanese pattern; traditional Japanese design
giving the Emperor advice on affairs of state; assistance; counsel
communications (e.g. post, telegraph)
osechi; osechi-ryōri; traditional food eaten during the New Year's holidays
to affect someone's prestige; to be beneath one's dignity
to tip off (e.g. the police); to inform (on); to squeal; to rat
affectation; showiness; pretence
fit for use; available; operational; practicable; usable
the other day; some time ago; recently
images drawn or painted on fusuma
boiled octopus; person as red as a lobster
to reject; to spurn; to turn down; to refuse
(telephone) switchboard; switchboard operator
a diamond on a dunghill is still a diamond; quality is quality; an old eagle is better than a young crow; (lit.) even if it's rotten, it's still sea bream
to jump on someone's (verbal) mistake; to trip someone up; to find fault with something someone says
there are no tricks or gimmicks (phrase used at magic shows); perfectly ordinary (e.g. mirror, pack of cards)
titubation; shaking; swinging
pale yellow; light yellow
cake or snack served with tea
ground leveling; ground levelling; groundwork; laying foundations
both eloquent and skilled
to talk to oneself; to mutter
(ceremonial) arrow used to drive off evil
balmy breeze; summer breeze
nevertheless; even then; however; be that as it may; even so; though that it be so
light color; light colour