(a) little; somewhat; somehow
clear; precise; definite; distinct
self-consciousness; self-awareness
what is it (that); the meaning of something; what something is about
patterns of thinking; train of thought
painful; difficult; distressing; (psychologically) difficult; straitened (circumstances); tight (financial situation)
to beat fast (of a heart); to hammer
junior high school; middle school; lower secondary school
period; epoch; the times; those days; oldness; ancientness
game of make-believe; child's play; pretend play
odious; hateful; awful; horrid; revolting
to deceive; to delude; to trick; to be as ... as ... (e.g. "as bright as day", "as beautiful as a rose")
meek; gentle; modest; praiseworthy; admirable
you could say; you might say; verging on the
crucible; melting pot; melting pot (of cultures, ideas, etc.); state of ecstasy; state of fevered excitement
once in a lifetime; the first and last occurrence (event, experience) of one's lifetime
to succeed in doing; to manage to do; to finish doing
feeling uneasy; very worried; very anxious; on tenterhooks; on pins and needles
to lose focus; to let one's mind wander; to relax one's attention
no matter what it takes; by any means necessary; at all costs; by hook or by crook
to ferry across (e.g. a river); to carry across; to lay across; to build across; to hand over; to hand in
to throw away; to abandon; to give up; to relinquish; to lay down (one's life)
readiness; preparedness; resolution; resignation
to beg; to request; to beseech; to implore; to entreat
ticket; token; label; tag; sign; card; playing card
banknote; bill; note; paper money
to resolve; to make up one's mind; to decide
to put one's hand on; to touch
to pull out; to draw out; to disconnect; to steal contents of; to pilfer (from); to pickpocket
with a smooth, unhindered motion; speedily and without delay
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
to remove; to take off; to drop (e.g. from a team); to remove (from a position); to leave (e.g. one's seat); to go away from
as much as possible; unbeatably; unsurpassably
charming; captivating; bewitching; seductive; coquettish
to shine on; to illuminate; to compare (with); to refer to
light blue; pale blue; aqua
cloth; fabric; dough; batter; inherent quality; one's true character; unglazed pottery
pure white; blank (e.g. mind, paper)
underwear; undergarment; underclothes; lingerie
to turn over (face down); to lay face down; to point downwards (eyes, head, etc.); to cast down (eyes); to lie (one's body) face down; to lie flat (on the ground)