first-class; top grade; characteristic; peculiar; school (e.g. of a performance art); one flag
to raise; to rear; to train; to teach; to promote the growth of; to nurture
Hikaru Genji; The Shining Genji
purple; violet; Lithospermum erythrorhizon (species of gromwell); type of soy sauce
suspicious; dubious; doubtful; unsure; untrustworthy; unreliable; strange
to finish reading; to read through
print; printing; (printed) copy; handout; flyer
just as; in the act of; as soon as; at the moment that
obsession; fixation; complaining; criticizing; speciality (e.g. of restaurants)
pot (esp. teapot, coffee-pot); vacuum bottle; thermos flask
side; edge; beside; while (doing); in addition to; at the same time
manner of using one's hands
to hold between (e.g. one's fingers, chopsticks); to grip (from both sides); to put between; to sandwich between; to catch (e.g. a finger in a door); to trap; to insert (e.g. a break into proceedings)
to be opposite; to face each other
to knit one's brows (in discomfort, unease, disapproval, etc.); to raise one's eyebrows; to frown; to scowl
to be lacking in options; to be too few
custom; convention; tradition; mores; conventional practice
terrific; staggering; tremendous; frightful; ghastly; horrific
distinguished family; noted family; family status in the Imperial Court; master (of a craft); expert
social standing of a family; lineage; parentage; good family
how long; how far; how much
irrigation channel; irrigation ditch; irrigation canal; flume
literature; books (reference); document
to be transmitted (handed down) from generation to generation
ancestor; forefather; foremother
to loosen; to slacken; to relax (attention, efforts, etc.); to let down (one's guard); to relax (a rule); to ease (e.g. restrictions)
(not) even once; (not) ever
cleaning; sweeping; dusting; scrubbing
to get used to; to become accustomed to; to be at home (on the stage)
to lose focus; to let one's mind wander; to relax one's attention
if you don't mind; if you like; if you feel up for it; if you're interested
before one's very eyes; under one's nose; imminence; close at hand
in preparation (for); in case (of); in the lead-up (to)
to restore one's energy; to restore one's spirits; to recharge one's batteries
opposite side; opposition
hesitation; indecision; vacillation
to be loath to; to balk at (doing); to grudge (doing); to take (good) care of