exceeding what one had heard; beyond one's expectations
well-informed person; walking dictionary; extensive knowledge
century; era; of the century (e.g. fight of the century)
successive jobs; consecutive jobs
bad reputation; disgrace; unpopularity
gambling; gaming; speculation; undertaking a risky venture; (arch.) professional gambler; (arch.) gamester
to be frugal; to be sparing; to value; to hold dear; to regret (e.g. a loss); to feel sorry (for)
food; food products; foodstuffs
invention; intelligent; clever; (arch.) making sense (of something); (arch.) understanding
to a surprising degree; to a remarkable extent; surprisingly; astonishingly; amazingly; alarmingly
hearsay; learning by hearsay
technical civilization; technical civilisation
example; illustration; precedent
annihilation; total destruction; complete destruction; crushing defeat
Tokugawa shogunate (i.e. the Edo shogunate, 1603-1867)
prosperous; flourishing; popular; widespread; active; lively
to copy; to imitate; to counterfeit; to forge
transport; transportation; conveyance; carriage
insane; crazy; nuts; out of one's mind
in the first place; to begin with; after all; anyway; beginning; start
people; race; nation; ethnic group; ethnos
special characteristic; special quality; trait; idiosyncrasy; peculiarity
person in charge; senior staff; manager; chief; head
sailing ship; sailing boat; sailing vessel
Hōō Maru (Western-style Japanese frigate, launched in 1853)
domestic; domestically-produced; produced within a country
institution; establishment; facility; home (for elderly, orphans, etc.)
divine possession; eccentric behavior; fanaticism
to present; to offer; to dedicate
completely; absolutely; totally; (not) at all
a laughingstock; a standing joke
world history; international history