to the best of my ability, poor though it be
first and foremost; above all; most importantly of all
amount of money; sum of money
agreement; stipulation; contract
to exchange; to interchange
leading figure; foundation
rise; ascendency; aroused energy; high-spirited action
identical; same; one and the same; fair; equal treatment; without discrimination
series; sequence; keiretsu (group); conglomeration of businesses linked by cross-shareholdings; affiliated; subsidiary
one's right-hand man; one's trusted henchman
(marriage) engagement; secret treaty; tacit understanding; private contract
distant; remote; isolated
change; alteration; modification
right to decide; having say (in a decision)
conceiving (an idea); thinking up; invention; original idea; new idea
language learning ability; foreign language skills; linguistic ability
sovereign; ruler; head of state
falseness (logic); falsehood
proof; certain truth; demonstration; argumentation
superintendent; supervisor; warden
concern; solicitude; consideration
marshy rice field or paddy
manuscript (book); written copy of a book; codex; transcription; copying
circulation; dissemination
title; index; heading; headline; caption
to be unusual (of a person or of a thing); to be uncommon; to be peculiar; to be crazy; to be eccentric; to be different
(something that is) available for use at any time; (someone who is) at one's beck and call; (something over which) one has complete mastery
reason; logic; sense; truth; right
understanding (of people's circumstances and feelings); perceptiveness; sympathy; wisdom
to die; (lit.) to become earth