contract; compact; agreement
recruiting; job offer; job vacancy
job hunting; seeking employment
pair; the two; both persons; both things
calmness; composure; coolness; serenity; presence of mind
to stare at each other; to lock eyes with
to admonish; to persuade; to warn; to remonstrate
posture; pose; position; attitude; approach; stance
no matter what it takes; by any means necessary; at all costs; by hook or by crook
wanted; wished for; in need of; I want (you) to
desk pad; sheet of plastic (or cardboard, felt, etc.) placed under writing paper; being pinned under; being caught under; model; pattern
twelve; 12; queen (playing card)
multiplication table; times table
September; ninth month of the lunar calendar
ninth day of the month; nine days
Chrysanthemum Festival (the 9th day of the 9th lunar month) (one of the five annual festivals)
oleaster (any plant of genus Elaeagnus); silverberry (US)
Rutaceae (citrus family of plants)
tall tree; forest tree; arbor; arbour
to decorate; to ornament; to display; to exhibit; to mark (e.g. the day with a victory); to adorn (e.g. the front page)
high place; high altitude; heights; broad view
to ascend; to go up; to ascend (as a natural process, e.g. the Sun); to rise; to go to (the capital); to be promoted; to add up to
to pour (sake); to serve; to drink together
calamity; misfortune; disaster
China; Chūgoku region (western part of Honshu comprising the prefectures of Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tottori and Shimane); central part of a country; main region; province of the second lowest rank (ritsuryo system)
historical event; ancient event; tradition; folklore; legend
to imitate; to follow; to emulate
clothes (esp. Western clothes); counter for doses of medicine, gulps of tea, drags of a cigarette, etc.
red and white; colours for festive or auspicious occasions (colors); two teams; two groups; Kōhaku Uta Gassen; annual contest between male and female popular singers on New Year's Eve (sponsored and broadcast by NHK)
mochi; (sticky) rice cake
counter for long, thin things (i.e. swords)
to garnish; to accompany (as a card does a gift); to add to as support; to prop up; to accompany (as an aid, guide, translator, etc.); (arch.) to mimic
custom; habit; customary practice
simultaneously; all at once; in unison
withdrawing from the castle
major company; big company; front castle gate; force attacking the front of a castle
(family) crest; coat of arms; pattern; figure
box; case; car (of a train, etc.); shamisen case; shamisen; public building; community building