bed; bedding; sickbed; alcove; riverbed; seedbed; straw "core" of a tatami mat
loss of strength; exhaustion; weakness
ordinary; nothing special; nothing to exclaim over
to stay at (e.g. hotel); to be docked; to be berthed; to be moored
following (in the footsteps of); catching up with; coming level with
at a moment's notice; readily
time of departure; (on the) point of departure; just as one is leaving
circle; entirety; whole; money; dough; enclosure inside a castle's walls; soft-shelled turtle
childhood friend; friend from infancy; old playmate
to sympathize deeply with; to strike a chord of sympathy
nursemaid; nanny; babysitter; child-minding; babysitting
to sing; to sing (one's praises in a poem, etc.); to compose a poem; to recite a poem
disappear without a trace; nowhere to be seen
honestly speaking; in truth; in all honesty; to be frank
to give; to do (something) for
beat; palpitation; pulsation; throbbing
waste of time; killing time
salon; saloon; sarong; saron (instrument)
O-Bon; Obon; Bon Festival; tray
returning home; visiting one's parents; new bride's first visit to parents
to dig up; to unearth; to uncover
to be sooty; to be stained
systematic; regular; routine
to read and understand; to take in; to sense from external cues; to read (someone's) mind; to read (calibration, tape, etc.); to scan (bar code)
to be dark; to be dull; to be unassuming; to be inconspicuous; to not stand out
pole; rod; line; dash; spoken monotonously
east and west; Orient and Occident; East and West; ladies and gentlemen!; your attention, please!
wrong; bad; not allowed; not possible; failing grade
great; grand; extensive; large-scale
broadcasting; broadcast; program; announcement
great; excellent; very troublesome; awful; tiring; tough
after this; from now on; hereafter; thereafter; since (then); after
pleased to make your acquaintance
working; being employed; being hired
at any rate; anyhow; anyway; in any case; because; as you know
the point of ...; the place where ...; a place called ...; places known as ...; I would say ...; ... is how I'd put it
holding (a conference, exhibition, etc.); opening; hosting (e.g. the Olympics)
fitness training; development of physical strength; building stamina; keeping up one's fitness
to get in; to go in; to come in; to flow into; to set; to set in
to be effective; to be fruitful; to be worthwhile; to be worth; to be rewarded; to pay off