extensive knowledge; erudition
personification; impersonation; embodiment
himself; yourself; herself
main force; chief object; mainline
main; principal; chief; primary; major
investigation; examination; inquiry; enquiry; survey
opposite; reverse; contrary
sudden; abrupt; urgent; pressing; steep; sharp; rapid
vague; ambiguous; shady; disreputable; fuzzy
use; adoption; acceptance; appointment; employment; engagement
desk pad; sheet of plastic (or cardboard, felt, etc.) placed under writing paper; being pinned under; being caught under; model; pattern
stoppage; coming to a stop; ceasing (movement, activity, etc.); suspension (of operations); suspension (of payment, licence, etc.); (temporary) prohibition
to produce; to yield; to cause; to result from; to arise; to be generated
result; consequence; coming to fruition; bearing fruit; as a result; consequently
irony; sarcasm; unexpected; different from what one expected; (only) surface; something superficial
desire; wish; request; entreaty; prayer; (written) application
to come true (of a wish, prayer, etc.); to be realized; to suit (e.g. a purpose); to meet (wishes, ideals, etc.); to match (implies competition); to rival
birth; creation; formation
this world; this life; world of the living
black; dark; blackish; suspicious; criminal; darkened and dirty; sooty
complete; completion; perfection; accomplishment
prototype model; experimental machine
trial manufacture; experiment; test piece; prototype
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
number (in a series); (one's) turn; watch; guard; rank; standing; bout
to suddenly understand (esp. on basis of experience or memory); to come to mind; to recall (in a flash); to be reminded of; to call to mind; to think of
to hold one's tongue; to shut up
to guess; to sense; to presume; to sympathize with; to sympathise with
considerable; great; important; significant; a big deal
difference; disparity; gap
nodding (in agreement, with approval, etc.); repeatedly nodding and dozing off; suddenly (dying); deep (flavor, flavour, color, colour, etc.); rich
pet saying; favorite phrase (favorite); stock phrase; manner of talking
the way in which something came about; origin; structure; organization; the way something is constructed
sincere; earnest; serious
to be opposite; to face each other; to confront (an issue); to face
body; oneself; one's place; one's position; main part; meat (as opposed to bone, skin, etc.)
to tie; to bind; to bear (fruit); to close (e.g. deal); to confirm; to connect (two distant places); to close tightly
nothing but; none other than
indeed; really; absolutely; truly; actually; very
and yet; despite this; but even so; but even then; however; nevertheless
somehow; for some reason; without knowing why
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river