your body; your health; yourself; you
thanks; gratitude; manners; etiquette; bow; reward
attending (upon); keeping another company
errand; mission; messenger; bearer; familiar spirit
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); assistance; help; effects; influence
hand; arm; handwriting; penmanship; 'shake' (command to have a dog place its paw in your hand)
your home; your family; their home; (my) home
shelving (a play, movie, etc.); closing down; cancelling; rice storehouse of the Edo shogunate
errand; mission; messenger; bearer; familiar spirit
(your) words; what you say; what you have said; a few words (of welcome, advice, etc.)
you (when referring to one's equals or inferiors)
your native country; your hometown; my home country (i.e. Japan); countryside; country; (arch.) daimyo's territory (Edo period)
babysitting; babysitter; taking care of; assisting; assistant
you; presence (of a god, nobleman, etc.)
request; favour (to ask); wish; please
grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); assistance; help; effects; influence
story; tale; talk; discussion
elder sister; effeminate man
tea (usu. green); tea break (at work); tea ceremony
father; dad; husband; you; he
confections; sweets; candy; cake
head; brains; intelligence
(another's) daughter; young lady
the Emperor; His Majesty; the government; the authorities; proprietress; hostess
near; close; beside; attendant; retainer; vassal
spy working for the Edo shogunate; oniwaban
bento; Japanese box lunch
sacred wine or sake; sake offered to the gods; sake
(someone else's) daughter
eye; eyes; sight; vision; looking
thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...
retainer; attendant; escort
type of household amulet or talisman, issued by a Shinto shrine, hung in the house for protection
to meet (someone of higher status); (arch.) to be recognized (esp. by someone of higher status); (arch.) to be visible; (arch.) to be seen
place where the sacred palanquin is lodged during a festival
story; tale; talk; discussion
babysitting; babysitter; taking care of; assisting; assistant
your house; your home; your husband; your organization; you
audience (with a person of high standing)
(the privilege to have) an audience (with one's lord, a dignitary, etc.); interview (with one's superior); one's debut (first) appearance; debut (of a new product, work of art, actor, etc.); trial service (of a servant)
to be much obliged (to someone); to receive favor (favour); to be indebted; to be grateful
leaving; going home; quitting one's job; free time; leisure
touching a wrong card (in karuta); buzzing too early (in a quiz); making a mistress of a servant; mistress (who is one's servant)
exorcism rite; purification
declining; refusal; rejection; announcement; notice
money; coin; dough; moolah; brass
family trouble (quarrel); domestic squabble; internal squabble (over headship rights) in a daimyo family in the Edo period
unveiling; debut; introduction
going out (of a nobleman, etc.); visiting
portable shrine (carried in festivals); buttocks; lower back; waist
local specialty or souvenir bought as a gift while travelling; present brought by a visitor; something unpleasant that one is given (e.g. an illness while on vacation); unwelcome gift
chaperoning; monitoring someone's behaviour; watchdog; chaperone; watcher
return gift; return favour (favor); revenge; change (in a cash transaction)
congratulation; congratulations; celebration; congratulatory gift; present
official notice; Edo-period proclamation issued by the shogunate (or a daimyo, etc.) usu. to the general populace
calling on someone who is ill; enquiry; inquiry
promise; agreement; arrangement; something expected or predictable (e.g. running gag); typical or clichéd development (in a story); something considered obligatory or guaranteed (in a certain situation)
superiors; big shots; higher-ups; VIPs; dignitaries
tatami room; dinner party in a tatami room with a geisha or maiko
shelving (a play, movie, etc.); closing down; cancelling; rice storehouse of the Edo shogunate
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
your home; your family; their home; (my) home
dignitaries; very important persons; VIPs
bill (e.g. at a restaurant); check
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
the end; closing; being done for; that's it; that's enough; that's all
another helping; second helping; seconds; command to have dog place its second paw in one's hand
call; visit; inquiry; enquiry; question
(your) judgment; discernment
holiday; day off; sleep; rest; Good night
maid; helper; help; assistance
festival; feast; carnival
cold (drinking) water; (glass of) cold water; cold boiled rice
to meet (someone of higher status); (arch.) to be recognized (esp. by someone of higher status); (arch.) to be visible; (arch.) to be seen
near; close; beside; attendant; retainer; vassal
notice or order handed down from above; announcement; notification; Edo-period proclamation issued by the shogunate (or a daimyo, etc.) to the concerned parties
meddling; meddlesomeness; nosiness; meddler; buttinsky; busybody
asking; enquiring; searching; looking for
ahead; before; the future
(giving) birth; childbirth; delivery; confinement
one's business; reading of scriptures before a (statue of) Buddha; bargain; discount; (arch.) money paid to a prostitute or geisha
dismissal; firing; retirement; being relieved from one's post; being relieved of a burden
Edo-period proclamation issued by the shogunate (or a daimyo, etc.) usu. to the general populace
punishment; spanking; smacking; chastisement; scolding
fortune slip (usu. bought at a shrine)
lowest-ranking guest at tea ceremony; tea master
receiving; welcoming; going to meet; final call; call of fate; approach of death
seeing through (a trick, someone's mind, etc.)
economical; bargain; good value; good-value
toilet; restroom; lavatory; bathroom
breakup (of a ceremony, wedding, party, meeting, etc.); closure
(geisha) teahouse; establishment where patrons are entertained by geisha
festival; feast; carnival
calling on someone who is ill; enquiry; inquiry
rice ball coated with sweetened red beans, soybean flour or sesame
Nichiren chant; (an empty) slogan
small dish (usu. one of several accompanying rice); side dish; fill; fill-in (drumming); jack-off material; something to masturbate to
familiar; well-known; regular (e.g. customer); old stand-by
manners; behavior; behaviour
setting the table; laying the table; setting up; getting one's ducks in a row; running interference
next; next person; room adjoining a noble's parlor
beside a nobleman; close aid (of a nobleman, etc.); place where a high ranking person resides; one's own city (of a shogun, lord, etc.); place under one's direct control; one's own turf
tea-ceremony procedures; skill; dexterity; (arch.) you
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
making a person, pet, etc. wait (before being permitted to do something); postponement; putting on hold
certificate; certified document; (the) thumbs up; seal of approval; paper with signature of the shogun or lord
hand-me-down; food offering to the gods; leftovers; trip from Kyoto to the provinces
pouring alcohol; person pouring alcohol for guests or customers (typically a woman); (apprentice) geisha; dancing girl
round, wooden container for cooked rice
treasure; picture of a treasure ship; money; cash
visit (to a shrine, grave, etc.); worship
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
perfect; just right; ideal
year-end gift; end of the year; year end
the end; closing; being done for; that's it; that's enough; that's all
lunch; noon; midday; daytime; waking up; getting up
congratulation; congratulations; celebration; congratulatory gift; present
to like; to prefer; to be pleased by
travelling incognito (traveling); special palanquin for carrying a daimyo or his wife incognito
charge (e.g. admission, menu item); cost; price
appetizer; starter; hors d'oeuvre
person who gets easily elated (when praised, etc.); person who readily chimes in with others; person who gets carried away easily
cremated remains (esp. the bones); ashes
court of law in the Edo period, in which the parties sat on white sand
mutually; with each other; reciprocally; together; both
O-Bon; Obon; Bon Festival; tray
special; auspicious; happy; naive; innocent; good-natured
sharing with others what has been given to you; sharing a portion of the profit with others
summoning; calling; riding; (high-quality) silk crepe (fabric)
alms-giving; charity; offerings (usu. money) to a priest (for reading sutras, etc.); financially supporting one's favorite celebrity (by buying merchandise, attending events, etc.)
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
being together; going together; matching (clothing); going together
water; (drinking) water; night entertainment business; nightlife worker; racy; titillating
telephone call; telephone (device)
baggage; luggage; burden; albatross around one's neck; excess baggage
field of flowers; flower garden; flower bed; field of alpine flowers
being postponed; being shelved; being put on hold; putting in storage; thing put in storage
soup containing rice cakes and vegetables (New Year's dish)
the end; closing; being done for; that's it; that's enough; that's all
smartly dressed; stylish; someone smartly dressed; to dress up; to be fashionable
favorite; favourite; pet (e.g. teacher's pet); bookmark (in web browser)
last drink (of sake); last glass; last cup
good-naturedness; good-natured person; credulous person; easy mark
graceful; ladylike; modest; gentle; polite; quiet
change (for a purchase); toilet splashback
decorations; offerings; mere window dressing
perfunctory; apathetic; makeshift; slapdash; routine; usual
beside a nobleman; close aid (of a nobleman, etc.); place where a high ranking person resides; one's own city (of a shogun, lord, etc.); place under one's direct control; one's own turf
compliments; civilities; hospitality; special treatment; bill (at a restaurant); check
compliments; civilities; hospitality; special treatment; bill (at a restaurant); check
Japanese style of calligraphy based on the gyōsho style popular in the Edo period
older sister; elder sister; young lady; miss; ma'am; older girl
thanks (for coming, helping, etc.); glad you could make it; tiredness; fatigue
good luck charm; uttered when using magic; abracadabra; presto
thin rice porridge; watery cooked rice; rice gruel; congee
comical (story, song); comic; the comedy business (rakugo, manzai, etc.); something laughable
uniforms supplied to employees; an allotment
beanbag; beanbag juggling game; bobbling the ball
departure; leaving; starting; standing
cake or snack served with tea
ochazuke; rice with tea poured on it
self-aggrandizement under pretense of aiding another (aggrandisement, pretence)
visiting a shrine or temple to give thanks; settling scores
annual New Year's poetry reading (held at the Imperial Court)
leaving a decision to someone else (often of a meal to be selected by the chef); omakase
another helping; second helping; seconds; command to have dog place its second paw in one's hand
onigiri; rice ball (often triangular, sometimes with a filling and wrapped in nori)
well-matched (esp. of a couple); becoming; suitable
sleepover; overnight stay
(for the) first time; something used (worn, etc.) for the first time; new item; first of the season (crop, fruit, etc.)
delivery (of a package, goods, etc.)
presence; appearance; attendance; visit; going out
pot; volcanic crater; (one's) buttocks; male homosexual; effeminate man
let's see what you've got; show me what you've got
scolding; telling-off; rebuke; lecture
lord; nobleman; daimyō; dignitary; master
regular customer; valued client
barking up the wrong tree; calling at the wrong house
all-night vigil over a body; wake
one's parents' home; one's origins; one's upbringing; one's past
ladle; tadpole; musical note
mid-year gift; summer gift
one's specialty; one's forte; specialty of a kabuki school
usual; normal; stereotyped
hundred times worship (e.g. walking back and forth a hundred times before a shrine offering a prayer each time)
cinch; pushover; easy matter; light snack; cake served with tea
(Nichiren Buddhism) memorial service for Nichiren (13th day of 10th month)
honorific or polite prefix
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
brow; forehead; prominent forehead; beetle brow; not catching anything (in fishing)
economical; bargain; good value; good-value
being done for; giving up; being in a hopeless situation; not knowing what to do; being brought to one's knees; (lit.) throwing up (one's) hands
pot; volcanic crater; (one's) buttocks; male homosexual; effeminate man
personal (employee); employed; retained
one's speciality; one's forte; one's strong point
bedpan; chamber pot; potty
New Year's gift (usu. money given to a child by relatives and visitors)
one's favourite party trick (favorite); one's specialty; one's forte
let's see what you've got; show me what you've got
dismissal; firing; retirement; being relieved from one's post; being relieved of a burden
used article (esp. clothes)
one person; one customer; unmarried and childless older woman
poor; unsatisfactory; inadequate; cold; chilly
little something; reward; tip
display of dolls during Hinamatsuri; Hinamatsuri (March 3); Girls' Festival; Dolls' Festival
poorly made article; defective article; Gautama Buddha
bureaucratic routine; red tape
tearjerker; sob story; maudlin tale
passing away; dying; death
very common way of tying a woman's kimono sash
lecture (i.e. an admonishment); sermon
the founder of our sect (esp. in reference to Nichiren)
Kyoto area festival held on the 11th lunar month (wherein bonfires are burned at shrines)
Kyoto area festival held on the 11th lunar month (wherein bonfires are burned at shrines)
sitting between the host and guest of honour at a drinking party (honor); companion
grandfather; male senior-citizen
recommendation; advice; suggestion; encouragement
association; socializing; socialising; fellowship
enjoyment; pleasure; diversion; amusement; hobby
freebie (e.g. with a purchase); something additional; price reduction; discount; exaggeration
about to start out; just about to leave or go out; outing; trip
call; visit; inquiry; enquiry; question
pot; (arch.) typical name for a female servant in the Edo-period; working at night; female with symptoms of gender identity disorder (e.g. a transvestite)
son (of others); boy; young master; green young man from a well-to-do family; young man innocent of the ways of the world
well-behaved (esp. children and pets); obedient; good
pity; sympathy; compassion; affection; love
policeman; cop; walking in a circle (dog trick); (arch.) rounds (doctor, police beat, etc.); (arch.) vegetables that accompany rice (secret language of court ladies)
acquaintance; making someone's acquaintance
Inari (god of harvests, wealth, fertility, etc.); Inari shrine; inarizushi (sushi wrapped in fried tofu); scrotum; testicle sack
pickled vegetables; pickles
changing one's clothes; a change of clothes
buttocks; lower back; waist; kimono underskirt
needlework; sewing; seamstress
one's forte; strong point; specialty; speciality
northern groundcone (Boschniakia rossica)
(arch.) court lady with her own private chamber or office; low-class prostitute (Edo period)
merchant's home (esp. used by apprentices, etc.); (your) rental home
privy purse; money used for private purposes by the members of the Imperial family
making arbitrary decisions which benefit oneself; self-approved plan
annual ceremony of reciting the names of the Buddhas
(one's) older brother; lad; sonny
older sister; elder sister; young lady; miss; ma'am; older girl
older brother; elder brother; young man; buddy; fella
it's been a long time; long time no see
it's been a long time; long time no see
well-matched (esp. of a couple); becoming; suitable
between-meal snack; mid-afternoon (around 3 o'clock) snack; afternoon refreshment; afternoon tea
last drink (of sake); last glass; last cup
unveiling; debut; introduction
sit down; sit up; Sit! (to a dog)
standard; set; routine; decided
standard; set; routine; decided
okonomiyaki; savoury pancake containing meat or seafood and vegetables
okonomiyaki; savoury pancake containing meat or seafood and vegetables
special; auspicious; happy; naive; innocent; good-natured
special; auspicious; happy; naive; innocent; good-natured
(next-door) neighbour; neighbor
long-awaited; long-waited-for; someone who has waited a long time; something that one has waited impatiently for
long-awaited; long-waited-for; someone who has waited a long time; something that one has waited impatiently for
change (for a purchase); toilet splashback
silly person; dumb-bunny; dope
one's speciality; one's forte; one's strong point
festival merrymaking; revelry
son (of others); boy; young master; green young man from a well-to-do family; young man innocent of the ways of the world
well-behaved (esp. children and pets); obedient; good
well-behaved (esp. children and pets); obedient; good
bill (at a restaurant); check
drawing; painting; doodling; sketching
drawing; painting; doodling; sketching
dismissal; firing; retirement; being relieved from one's post; being relieved of a burden
policeman; cop; walking in a circle (dog trick); (arch.) rounds (doctor, police beat, etc.); (arch.) vegetables that accompany rice (secret language of court ladies)
osechi; food eaten during the New Year's Holidays
Buddhist priest; monk; son (of others)
beside a nobleman; close aid (of a nobleman, etc.); place where a high ranking person resides; one's own city (of a shogun, lord, etc.); place under one's direct control; one's own turf
person sought by the police; wanted person; fugitive from justice
cold (drinking) water; (glass of) cold water; cold boiled rice
wheat gluten (usu. steamed or baked)
wheat gluten (usu. steamed or baked)
dignitaries; very important persons; VIPs
bargain; good buy; budget
bargain; good buy; budget
ochazuke; rice with tea poured on it
that's too bad; too bad for you!
serving tea (esp. at a company); tea server; tea lady
cancellation; abandonment
tooth blackening; tooth-blackening dye
changing one's dress (e.g. at the wedding reception)
fish served whole (complete with head and tail)
burnt rice; scorched rice; crispy rice at bottom of cooking pan; woman who hangs out with gay men
aburaage; thin deep-fried slices of tofu
trip story; vacation story
to be recognized (by someone of higher status); to be noticed; to get attention
bowel movement; evacuation
court of law in the Edo period, in which the parties sat on white sand
lowest-ranking guest at tea ceremony; tea master
New Year's sake; spiced sake
boasting of one's hometown
local dialect; vernacular; provincialism
miyamairi; newborn child's first visit to a shrine (within about 30 days of being born); visiting a shrine
scolding; telling-off; talking-to; dressing-down
(for one's turn) to come round
a recommendation; an order
your address; your place of residence
your address; your place of residence
please understand that...; please bear in mind that ...
please understand that...; please bear in mind that ...
afternoon snack (eaten around 3 o'clock); afternoon tea
(private) geisha entertainment; being entertained by one or more geisha (in a tea house or traditional Japanese restaurant)
hired foreigner; foreign advisor hired by the Japanese government for their specialized knowledge to assist in the modernization of Japan at the end of the Bakufu and during the Meiji Era
hired foreigner; foreign advisor hired by the Japanese government for their specialized knowledge to assist in the modernization of Japan at the end of the Bakufu and during the Meiji Era
flunky; cat's-paw; tool; person whose services are at the disposal of another
dining table; (arch.) cooked rice
free service after one has finished one's apprenticeship
goods to offer the junk dealer
please make yourself comfortable; please relax your sitting position
moody person; temperamental person; fickle person
rice cracker; senbei; Japanese cracker
to perform anal sex (between men); to bugger; to sodomize; to crash a car into the back of another (usu. used in the passive voice); to rear-end
Kyoto area festival held on the 11th lunar month (wherein bonfires are burned at shrines)
Kyoto area festival held on the 11th lunar month (wherein bonfires are burned at shrines)
dashi (Japanese soup stock made from fish and kelp)
broth; soup (esp. miso soup)
to stand high in one's superior's favor and trust
to flatter a higher-up; (lit.) to brush the dirt from a beard
Omuro (sect of Shingon Buddhism)
condolence gift; gift brought to a (Christian) funeral; flower money
portable shrine used to transport a sacred object
dining table; (arch.) cooked rice
shrine ritual held with the first two months of the year to forecast (or pray for) a successful harvest; seasonal planting of rice on a field affiliated with a shrine
shrine ritual held with the first two months of the year to forecast (or pray for) a successful harvest; seasonal planting of rice on a field affiliated with a shrine
to flatter a higher-up; to suck up to; to curry favour; (lit.) to brush the dirt from a beard
chattering; talk; idle talk; chatty; talkative; chatterbox
grandfather; male senior-citizen
recommendation; advice; suggestion; encouragement
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
fortune slip (usu. bought at a shrine)
wearing one's hair in braids
bedpan; chamber pot; potty
wrapped offering (of money)
Kyoto-style side dish; meal of side dishes
granny; grandma; gran; old lady; old woman
granny; grandma; gran; old lady; old woman
recommendation; advice; suggestion; encouragement
ghost; apparition; goblin; monster; something unusually large
small dish (usu. one of several accompanying rice); side dish; fill; fill-in (drumming); jack-off material; something to masturbate to
begging; pestering; pleading; coaxing
rice cakes; pounded mochi rice
perfunctory; apathetic; makeshift; slapdash; routine; usual
wet towel (supplied at table); hot, moistened hand towel
snack (to have with a drink); side dish
snack (to have with a drink); side dish
snack (to have with a drink); side dish
snack (to have with a drink); side dish
boiled greens in bonito-flavoured soy sauce (vegetable side dish)
boiled greens in bonito-flavoured soy sauce (vegetable side dish)
please sit down; please have a seat
precocious; precocious child
ohajiki; traditional Japanese children's game similar to marbles, played with coin-shaped pieces made of coloured glass or plastic
okara; soy pulp; tofu dregs; edible pulp separated from soybean milk in the production of tofu
primness; prim person; clear soup
primness; prim person; clear soup
oyaki; fried round wheat or buckwheat flour cake with various fillings; imagawayaki; thick pancake containing bean jam, served hot
kitchen maid; kitchen duties; cooking
Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng)
pert; tomboyish; impudent; lively; boisterous
Kyoto-style side dish; meal of side dishes
(woman's) ugly or homely face; old bag
starchy solution formed during rice cooking
camel cricket (Diestrammena apicalis); camelback cricket; cave cricket; spider cricket
another's wife or daughter
please allow me to introduce myself