stern; grave; austere; strict (e.g. security); severe; firm
tokonoma (alcove where art or flowers are displayed)
oval face (e.g. of a beautiful woman)
to slide; to slip off; to get dislocated; to drag; to pull
frail; having a weak constitution; being in poor health
wild goose; glans; head of a penis
traditional married woman's hair style with an oval chignon on top; men's hairstyle (Edo period)
round, wooden container for cooked rice
saucepan; pot; stew; hot pot
central; main; just (done); freshly (baked); counter for consecutive losses
son (of others); boy; young master; green young man from a well-to-do family; young man innocent of the ways of the world
soup with basket clams (usu. miso soup)
Metal Monkey (57th year of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1920, 1980, 2040)
mound; heap; hillock; burial mound; tomb; tumulus
ridge of earth between rice fields; ridge between grooves in threshold or lintel; footpath between rice fields; causeway
to begin to fall (rain, etc.)
just made; fresh (from the oven); newly-built (house)
hot; warm; passionate; impassioned; on everybody's mind; on the radar
just now; a little while back; a short time ago
to bolt down (food); to gulp down; to carry under the arm; to rake in; to rake towards one
chief seat; seat of honor; seat of honour; head of the table
maid; helper; help; assistance
to be curious; to wonder; to marvel
to be greedy; to devour greedily
chewiness; firmness; feel of food while being chewed; challenge (e.g. work, book); toughness
trap door; removable floor boards
to stick (to); to cling (to); to stay (e.g. in the office)
jumbling together; lumping together; mixing up
to break into pieces; to chip off
(really) terrible; awful; (very) nasty; (extremely) harsh; severe
solid; firm; steady; unshakeable; unwavering
as (much) as possible; as (far) as possible
to eat up (completely); to put down (a rebellion); to suppress; (arch.) to make flat; (arch.) to level out
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
barrier; checkpoint; gateway; hurdle; obstacle; trial
annoyance (to); bane (of); constant worry (to)