free; unfettered; according to one's own whims; doing as one likes
one's field of expertise; one's strong area
modern language; contemporary language; living language; modern Japanese; Japanese as spoken since the Meiji period or alternatively, since the end of World War II
to translate; to interpret
illustration (e.g. book); picture
upper grades of primary school (sixth, fifth, and sometimes fourth grades)
passion; enthusiasm; zeal
to follow in order; to go through step-by-step
creator (of a work); author; writer; artist; composer; playwright
to have an acute sense of smell; to have a good nose (for bargains, something amiss, etc.); to have a keen nose; to have an ability to quickly uncover things
the original; original copy; script
missing (of a person); lost; unaccounted for; whereabouts unknown
creation; production; creative work (novel, film, etc.); fabrication; fiction; invention
shaking (something) out; starting point; beginning; drawing (e.g. of a bill); issue; throw (of dice); infusion (remedy)
return; reaction; recovery; return (from a procedure)
cum (e.g. bedroom-cum-study); holding both roles (e.g. Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs); and; in addition; concurrently; at the same time
internal conditions; true state of affairs
eye; eyeball; eyesight; sight; look; stare; notice
reason for living; something one lives for; purpose in life; raison d'être
old book; rare book; classic; secondhand book; used book
looking for something; searching for something; object being sought
plus; addition; positive number; gain; advantage; anode
usually; ordinarily; always; continuous; 24-hour (operation, care, etc.); constant
twelve; 12; queen (playing card)
to tuck up (e.g. skirt); to abridge; to cut short
wrong (guess or estimate); misdirected; irrelevant; off the point
drawing; picture; diagram; sight; scene
present age; present day; today; modern era; modern times
ancient character (esp. Chinese); ancient writing
to curry favour (with); to play up (to); to cozy up (to); to butter up
classic (work, esp. book); the classics
rote memorization (memorisation); rote learning; indiscriminate memorizing (memorising)
elimination; erasure; clearing; elimination (of variables)
signature move (assoc. with a martial artist, wrestler, etc.); finishing move
looking directly at; looking straight at; looking squarely at (e.g. a problem); facing (e.g. the truth); normal vision; emmetropia
modern translation; translation into modern language (of a classical text, e.g. The Tale of Genji)
sprinkling (of rain, salt, etc.); pattering; flipping (through a book, etc.); riffling; sparse; scattered
technical book; specialized book; treatise
prudish; strait-laced; boring; square