to gather; to collect; to assemble
turning round; going around; turning about; surrounding; encircling
past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
as you were; return to your original position!; er, rather
investment; contribution; financing
bank; banking institution
to recognise; to recognize; to know by sight; to become acquainted with
hardly any; almost nonexistent; very little
to feel around for; to fumble for; to investigate; to probe into; to explore (parts unknown); to enjoy (natural beauty)
chairman; moderator; toastmaster; master of ceremonies; chairperson; host (of a TV show, etc.)
sponsor; promoter; impresario; organizer; organiser
editor (in publishing, etc.)
person concerned; people involved (in an event); those concerned; staff
how many people; a number of people
taking the podium; mounting the rostrum; going on stage to give a speech, etc.
author (usu. of a particular book); writer
to state; to express; to mention
large; big; older; senior; final; ultimate
rice plant (Oryza sativa)
to hand over; to transfer; to give up (e.g. one's seat); to give way; to yield; to concede
living a life of leisure with dignity; living quietly and comfortably free from worldly cares; otium cum dignitate
to lead (a) life (usu. preceded by the type of life)
fund-raising; fund collecting
roughly; approximately; round about; cursorily; briefly; quickly
300; three hundred; 300 mon; trifling amount; shyster
celebration; celebratory event; congratulatory gift; tip; gratuity
to ferry across (e.g. a river); to carry across; to lay across; to build across; to hand over; to hand in
stands; bleachers; stand (e.g. newspaper stand); counter (e.g. lunch counter); stand (e.g. inkstand); desk lamp
flower; blossom; cherry blossom; beauty; blooming (esp. of cherry blossoms); ikebana; hanafuda
group; (free) radical; counter for installed or mounted objects (e.g. stone lanterns, gravestones, satellites)
perfume; fragrance; aroma; balm; sweet scent
faint; indistinct; dim; (arch.) few; (arch.) a little
celebrity; personality; prominent figure
political and business circles; political and business establishment; politics and industry
to line up; to stand in a line; to rival; to match; to equal
gorgeous; gaudy; dazzling; gay; resplendent
extravagant; lavish; opulent; luxurious; magnificent; splendid
suddenly; casually; accidentally; incidentally; unexpectedly; unintentionally
sidelong glance; short grain (paper)
secret; private; surreptitious