second most severe of the five punishments of ancient China (castration for men, confinement for women)
boastful speech; bragging
ripple; ring on the water; repercussions; Japanese slit drum; instrument made of iron with slits on top; makes a rippling sound
one's circumstances; environment; situation (in life)
trump card; ace up one's sleeve; secret weapon
cold-hearted; callous; unfeeling; insentient (objects); insensate; inanimate
beard (esp. on the chin); goatee
drunkenness; intoxication; motion sickness; travel sickness
to show respect for; to revere; to honour; to honor; to worship; to hold in esteem
stagnation; hindrance; delay
to make sure of; to ascertain; to confirm; to grasp
death of important person (e.g. prince, princess, cabinet minister)
power map; power structure; power relationships
arbor; arbour; bower; summer house; square gazebo
sycophant; apple-polisher; flatterer; sesame seed grinding
(arch.) youth; (arch.) freshness; good omen; Sweden; Switzerland
to have as a side order (with drinks); to make fun of someone; to laugh at someone's expense
only; merely; but; no more than
library; book collection; paperback book
bound hand and foot; hedged in (e.g. by restrictions); immobile
narrow; tight; formal; stiff; constrained; uncomfortable
one's own strength; one's own efforts; self-salvation
to continue (for a long time); to occur in succession; to come next (e.g. on TV)
good looks; pretty woman; good-looking woman
still better; even better
to be used to; to get accustomed to; to train; to discipline; to tack (in needlework); to baste
superficial; half-hearted; shallow
lack of sleep; insufficient sleep
main cause; primary factor
breaking one's ties (with); breaking off (from); pulling out (of)
(making a) lesson (of); (setting an) example; warning
wrapping (something) in a bamboo mat; wrapping someone in a bamboo mat and throwing them into a river (unofficial Edo-period punishment)
position; job; employment; opening
to grasp at straws; to resort to desperate measures