to catch; to stop the blow; to react to; to take (advice, etc.); to accept
nick in a blade (sword, knife); chip in a blade
culture; civilization; civilisation; Bunka era (1804.2.11-1818.4.22)
what is called; as it is called; the so-called; so to speak
foot-operated bellows; foot bellows
to forge; to temper; to drill; to train; to discipline
grain; bead; drop; counter for small round objects including grains, seeds, pills, drops
to shave (wood, leather, etc.); to sharpen (e.g. pencil); to cut down (budget, expenses, staff, time, etc.); to curtail; to delete; to erase
formation; molding; making up; repair (e.g. plastic surgery); replacement; -plasty
withdrawal; secession; separation; breakaway
longish; moderately long; somewhat long; fairly long
Bizen (former province located in the southeast of present-day Okayama Prefecture)
head; chief; leader; the greatest of all; the most excellent
ship; boat; tank; tub; counter for boat-shaped containers (e.g. of sashimi)
famous sword; excellent sword
long sword; minute hand (of a clock)
Mino (former province located in the south of present-day Gifu Prefecture)
polish; improvement; burnishing
Japanese timber bamboo (Phyllostachys bambsoides); giant timber bamboo; madake; Henon bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis)
to hack; to chop (firewood, meat, etc.); to chop off (e.g. a head)
Man'en era (1860.3.18-1861.2.19)
first year (of an imperial era); year something (important) first happened or began
outside a gate; beyond one's area of expertise
(Edo-period) chief minister
Ii Naosuke (1815-1860.3.24)
sword; blade; single stroke
to hit (e.g. to have a car hit someone); to run into; to reject; to deny; to eliminate; to exclude; to flip
stake all (on something); play for all or nothing; throwing all into a task
bringing certain death; deadly; knockout (blow)
decapitation; beheading; firings; dismissals; small samurai sword used for decapitation
sharpness; cutting ability; quickness (of wit); incisiveness; peppiness (of a ball)
legal; lawful; legitimate; law-abiding; in order
to imitate; to copy; to mock; to trace; to forge
to strike back at; to bite back; to turn on; to rise against; to oppose; to defy
and also; and on top of that; so (I take it that ...); then ...; (arch.) in that case; (arch.) if so
being settled quickly; reaching a quick conclusion; no need to say any more; no problem
to repel; to drive away; to repulse; to reject