fantastic; magical; wondrous; whimsical; fairytale-like; romantic
marshy grassland; wetlands
to be prolonged; to drag on; to take a long time; to persist; to linger
to devise; to arrange; to plan; to plot
Wu Zetian (624-705); Empress Wu
Empress Kōken; Kōken Tenno (718-770 CE, reigning: 749-758 CE)
monarch; sovereign; ruler; liege (lord)
peacefully (sleeping); quietly; soundly
infringement (of a law, treaty, etc.); contravention; conflict (with a theory, claim, etc.); inconsistency; (arch.) collision; (arch.) contact
plate; dish; serving; helping; kanji radical 108 (at the bottom)
imposingly; heavily; conspicuously; in a dignified manner
delay; lag; falling behind; falling behind in; lagging behind in
to get narrower; to contract
bubble; foam; froth; suds; lather; head (on beer)
unattractive; ugly; unstylish; uncool
compact disk; CD; cash dispenser; (negotiable) certificate of deposit
famous product; special product; speciality; specialty
leaving the nest; going out into the world; becoming independent
dressing; dressing; putting on clothes
doll; puppet; marionette; puppet (person under the control of another); straw man; yes-man
sōmen; fine white noodles
lowering; sinking; depreciation; price fall; punch line (of a rakugo story); (arch.) sword strap
trunks (swimming, boxing, etc.); trunks (underwear); boxers; boxer shorts
iron plate; steel plate; sure thing; certain winner
to be impatient; to be eager; to be restless; to be excited; to be in high spirits
palpitation (of the heart); pounding; throbbing; thumping
shortness of breath; panting; puffing; running out of steam (of the economy, a project, etc.); losing momentum; loss of efficiency
expresses a firm view or feeling; please ...; would you ...
to be; to exist; (arch.) to come; (arch.) to go; (arch.) to be (somewhere)
diagonally upward; (going in a) completely unexpected direction (of a story, result, etc.)
to celebrate; to congratulate; to present (a gift) in celebration; to drink in celebration; to wish for (a happy future, good fortune, etc.); to pray for