absurd; ridiculous; silly; ludicrous; nonsensical; asinine
of course; certainly; naturally
national holiday; public holiday
to hunt out; to flush out; to round up; to impress; to recruit
New Year's Day; New Year's morning; morning of New Year's Day
number of days; period of days; daily interest rate
almost every day; almost daily
to imitate; to follow; to emulate
puppet operator; puppet manipulator; puppeteer
reluctantly; grudgingly; unwillingly
not necessarily so; is not always true
for generations; hereditary; generation after generation
finger marks; dirt from the hands
distinction; discrimination; distinguishing; discernment
apprenticeship; probation; learning by observation; apprentice; trainee; probationer
please remember me; please help me; please treat me well; please do; please take care of
first-class; top grade; characteristic; peculiar; school (e.g. of a performance art); one flag
insisting (unreasonably); obstinate insistence
beginning; clue; starting point
Japanese puppet theatre (theater); bunraku
lack of expression; blank look (on one's face)
human emotions (joy, anger, grief and pleasure)
to show signs of ...; to have the appearance of ...
to begin to open; to come out; to smile broadly; to come apart at the seams (clothes)
removal; dismantling; detaching
body; trunk; torso; hull (boat); fuselage (aircraft)
sun (approx. 3.03 cm); length; measurement; shortness; tininess
hold; catch; connection; relationship; unease; discomfort
vengeance; revenge; retaliation
top of ...; head of ...; the moment that ...
exaggerated; bombastic; highly colored; highly coloured
inscription; epitaph; epigraph
indicates storeys, structures, or materials used in a building; indicates denomination
congratulation; congratulations; celebration; congratulatory gift; present
sumo wrestling; wrestler; rikishi
bottle; jar; decanter; flagon; phial; vial
mass meeting; convention; tournament; competition; grand event
imposingly; heavily; conspicuously; in a dignified manner
(turning) round and round; in circles; wrapping around; winding around
small build; small stature; petite; small pattern
(as alike as) two peas in a pod