water for washing or moistening one's hands
to purify; to cleanse; to exorcise; to purge; to ward off
to change way one holds something; to transfer something from one hand to the other
to rinse (one's mouth); to gargle
uncleanness; impurity; disgrace; shame; uncleanliness from contact with death, pregnancy, menstruation, etc.
before god; before an altar
votive tablet donated to a shrine or temple
prayer (for something); supplication
report given to deity or nobility
return of something; repayment
letter bearing the shogun's scarlet seal; seal stamp given to worshippers and visitors to shrines and temples
to stamp (i.e. a passport); to apply a seal
teahouse; (Edo period) rest stop; (geisha) teahouse; establishment where patrons are entertained by geisha; tea house (that sells tea); tea dealer
chastity; virtue; fidelity; feminine modesty
kaki; Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
well done!; bravo!; zenzai; red bean soup made with azuki beans
to put into the mouth; to eat
karoshi; death from overwork
usually; ordinarily; always; continuous; 24-hour (operation, care, etc.); constant
military force; force of arms; strength of an army
after all is said and done; no matter what people say; in the end; definitely; undeniably
going upstream; sailing against the current
lost child; lost person; stray child; missing child
making doubly sure; insurance run (baseball); points scored for good measure
essential part; indispensable part; unavoidable part; front and back matter (of a book, magazine, etc.)
strong spirit; mettle; backbone; guts; fighting spirit
overestimation; overvaluing
to soak into; to permeate
at a moment's notice; readily
tightrope walking; high-wire act; funambulism; treading a tightrope; walking on thin ice; pulling a risky balancing act
(I) won't say anything no matter what; to be unwilling to tell even under threat
opposite side; reverse; (on the) other hand
to excel at; to be proficient at; to grow old; to ripen; to rise high (e.g. the sun)
everybody's friend; people pleaser; person who is affable to everybody; flawlessly beautiful woman; flawless beauty
to exchange (messages, thoughts, etc.); to communicate
to lose one's cool; to blow one's top; to flip one's lid; to get angry
decisively; decidedly; boldly; precisely; exactly
to be pleased; to be in a good mood
to show off; to make a display (e.g. of wealth)
stake; post; pile; (arch.) stump
creation; production; creative work (novel, film, etc.); fabrication; fiction; invention