graduation ceremony; commencement
quiet and subdued in appearance; solemn; sad and depressed in manner; soft; gentle
to hold (a ceremony); to perform
route; course; path; one's future course (e.g. after graduating high school)
growth; development; stretching (one's body, e.g. when waking up); (ability to) spread (of paint, cream, etc.); elongation; extension
to mutter; to murmur; to grumble; to tweet; to post on Twitter
home area; home town; local
goodbye; so long; saying goodbye to (e.g. life as a bachelor); putting an end to; farewell (performance, party, etc.); final
to taste; to eat; to drink; to speak (of); to put into words; to refer (to)
incoherent; wandering; vague; rambling; whimsical
topic; subject; much talked about; topical; in the news
to connect; to tie; to fasten; to transfer (phone call)
first and last (time, chance, etc.); (the) only
vague; faint; dim; indistinct; hazy; blurry
society; the world; the times
chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus); domestic chicken; chicken meat
to give up (all thoughts of); to abandon; to despair of; to make up one's mind; to make a decision; to decide
unseasonable; out-of-season
to blow against; to spray (paint, etc.; onto a surface)
cherry tree; cherry blossom; light pink; fake buyer; paid audience; hired applauder
to dance (orig. a whirling dance); to whirl (in the wind); to flutter (about); to swirl
surely; certainly; without doubt
if anything; if pushed I'd say; if I had to say
as expected; just as one thought; as feared; sure enough
senior; elder; person older than oneself
to be used to; to get accustomed to; to train; to discipline; to tack (in needlework); to baste
elementary and middle schools
to give birth; to bear (child); to lay (eggs); to produce; to yield; to give rise to
to lend; to loan; to rent out; to hire out; to hand (over); to give
to act violently; to rage; to struggle; to be riotous
nonexistent; not being (there); unowned; not had; unique; not; impossible
to turn (towards); to face; to head to; to go towards; to allot; to allocate
punishment (of children); spanking; smacking; criminal punishment (esp. execution; Edo period)
modern times; the modern age; this day and age
rumination; regurgitation; chewing the cud; turning over in one's mind; thinking over (something); pondering