death; mortality; to die; to pass away
article; news story; report; account
winter vacation; winter holidays
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
each time; every time; whenever (something happens); on the occasion of
(what) the heck; (why) in the world; one object; one body; one form; one style
daytime; during the day; Japan and China
New Year's Week (festivities)
joint; knuckle; tune; melody; knot (in wood); node in a bamboo stem
carefully made; carefully produced; quality product; product made with care
kagami mochi; New Year offering consisting of two mochi stacked on each other with a bitter orange on top, cut and eaten on January 11
to poke (repeatedly, lightly); to nudge; to peck at (one's food); to pick at; to peck at (someone's faults, etc.); to egg on
salty; calculating; stingy; scowling; grimacing; hoarse
type of soft Japanese confectionery made with rice flour (somewhat similar to Turkish delight)
elevation; rise; improvement; advancement; progress
continuation; succession; series
contacting; (making) contact; connection (with a train, bus, etc.); joining (a railway line, etc.); connection (between matters, incidents, etc.); relation
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
to fit; to get into; to be fit for (a job, etc.); to be suited for; to fall into; to plunge into
New Year's holiday; period encompassing the close of the old year and the start of the New Year
till; to; concerning (an area of expertise); swearing by (one's sword, God, etc.)
assailant; perpetrator; wrong-doer; aggressor
incoherent; inconsistent; illogical; disorderly; confused; nonsensical
prison; detention house; detention center; jail
withdrawal symptoms; abstinence syndrome
it cannot be that...; it is highly unlikely that...; it is impossible that...
unusual; unwonted; uncharacteristic
assertion; declaration; affirmation
poor; pitiable; pathetic; pitiful
approval; agreement; support; favour; favor
to roll in; to tumble into; to visit (esp. to stay overnight as an unwanted guest); to fall in one's way; to fall into one's lap
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it,...; I mean
washing; laundry; relaxing; taking a break
no!; no no!; no, not at all