makings (of); aptitude (for); groundwork; foundation
besides; furthermore; on top of that; and yet; nevertheless; even so
sharp (eyes, ears, etc.); keen; acute; sharp-witted; shrewd; clever
very; greatly; much; just about to; almost; very nearly
counter for (small) things or pieces; counter for military units; (an) individual; one person; counter for years (of age difference); counter for school-years
next; secondly; subsequently
no sooner than; as soon as; immediately after; at the thought of; when I think about
onigiri; rice ball (often triangular, sometimes with a filling and wrapped in nori)
finely chopped katsuobushi, sometimes with soy sauce
to taste; to taste of; to have a taste
playing dead; feigning death; playing possum
to sense; to suspect; to get an inkling (of something); to get wind of; to smell (e.g. danger); to become aware of (e.g. a plot)
top; summit; twelve o'clock (usu. midnight); top of one's head; top of a helmet
pointed end; tip; point; forefront; vanguard; spearhead
western direction; Western Pure Land (Amitabha's Buddhist paradise); western fighter in a match (e.g. sumo)
immeasurable; infinite; inestimable
widely; extensively; far and wide; everywhere; all around; generally
class; level; stratum; layer; hierarchy
warning; caution; admonition; keikoku (penalty in judo)
performing a part in one's own play; playing a musical piece that one has written; doing everything by oneself (from preparation to execution); put-up job; charade; sock-puppeting (i.e. pretending to be more than one person on the Internet)
worldly wise; sophisticated; street smart; knowledge of the world (acquired in the school of hard knocks); toughness
to be squashed by; to be pinned under
consists of; comprises; is made up of
pardon me for leaving (first)
to examine; to look up; to investigate; to check up; to sense; to study
location (of); position; whereabouts; place where one is
often; again and again; over and over again; repeatedly; frequently
hideout (e.g. of fugitive from justice); hiding place
to weaken; to grow weak; to be downcast; to be dejected; to be troubled; to be at a loss
hideout; secret base of operations; safe house
to corner; to drive to the wall; to run down; to track down; to chase after
non-conveyor belt sushi; sushi served in a restaurant that doesn't have a conveyor belt
to eat; to live; to make a living; to bite; to sting (as insects do); to tease; to torment
(sushi) without wasabi; wasabi-free
vinegared rice and sliced raw tuna wrapped in seaweed
to pour water (into); to dilute with water; to hinder; to hamper; to throw cold water on
to interfere (with); to hinder; to be hindered (from doing); to become impeded; to have difficulty; to suffer inconvenience
wedge; chock; linchpin; tie; bond
contradiction; inconsistency