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