backing; support; backer; shield that protects one's back
imperial government; imperialism; monarchical rule
to control; to take the lead in; to have under one's thumb
movement; move; motion; trend; development; change
society; public; community; social studies
light (i.e. not heavy); feeling light (i.e. offering little resistance, moving easily); light (i.e. of foot); effortless; non-serious; minor; slight
to wheedle a person into doing something; to carry a portable shrine
what is called; as it is called; the so-called; so to speak
hanger-on; dependent; someone who is received coldly; third, fourth, fifth, etc. sons (during the Edo period when only the oldest male could inherit an estate)
secret; private; surreptitious
support; backing; endorsement; support; holding up; propping
to collect; to assemble; to gather
recently; lately; these days; nearest; closest
to cause trouble; to cause a disturbance
to have rumors going around (rumours); to have rumors spread
younger brother; little brother; brother-in-law (spouse's younger brother or younger sister's husband); (arch.) pupil; (arch.) apprentice
palace; tonic (of the Japanese and Chinese pentatonic scale); ancient Chinese punishment (castration for men, or confinement for women); zodiacal sign
to threaten; to make threats
slowly (but steadily); gradually; bit-by-bit; slowly soaking in; slowly permeating; oozing out
to insert; to include; to incorporate; to cut in (printing)
trying to think of a way (to); devising means (to); working out (how to do); contriving (to raise money); managing
really; very; extremely; (not) anything; (not) at all; (not) a bit
shallow; superficial; thoughtless; short-sighted; foolish; silly
but; however; provided that
idiot; moron; trivial matter; folly; stupid; foolish
first-person plural (or singular); second or third person plural (implies speaker is of higher status than those referred to)
to make a mess; to perpetrate; to do; to finish up; to be guilty of
given that ... it is only natural that ...; ... being the case, it is unavoidable that ...; (precisely) because ...; contrary to expectations ...
of bad character; ill-natured; nasty; vicious; wicked; malignant
to reach; to get to; to arrive at
years gone by; earlier years; former years; the past
spirit; drive; vigour; ambition; aspiration
treatment (of a person); dealing with
gentle; peaceable; amicable; without fuss; simply
settlement; solution; resolution
originally; primarily; essentially; intrinsically; proper; rightful
when; at what time; how soon; normal times; ordinary days
to fall (over, down); to collapse; to be destroyed (in a collapse); to collapse; to be confined to bed (with an illness); to come down with; to die
at least; at most; (even) just
since one was born; (in) all one's life