jacket; book jacket; dust cover; CD jacket; record jacket
stick; club; cudgel; bludgeon
making; producing; appearance (attire, make-up, etc.); build; physique; sashimi
to perform some process; to apply some treatment; to revise; to correct
commemoration; celebration; honoring the memory of something; turning something into a memento; memory
hardly any; almost nonexistent; very little
flower; blossom; cherry blossom; beauty; blooming (esp. of cherry blossoms); ikebana; hanafuda
laying the groundwork; behind-the-scenes maneuvering; consensus-building process; digging around the roots of a tree (before transplanting)
setting oneself free from the life of a white-collar worker; quitting a job as a salaryman and launching an independent business
coffee shop; tearoom; coffee lounge; coffeehouse; cafe
to cause trouble (for someone); to annoy; to bother; to inconvenience
name; title; appellation; (under the) pretext (of); pretense
to invite; to ask; to beckon; to wave someone in; to call in; to send for
reception room; parlor; parlour
secrecy; confidentiality; privacy; one's circumstances (esp. fiscal)
(art of) fencing; swordsmanship
whispering; whisper; secret talk; murmur
leaving (e.g. work at end of day); withdrawal (e.g. from a noble's or superior's presence); exit (e.g. from a market)
mischievous child; scamp; rascal; elf; imp
to misperceive visually; to misread; to mistake for something or somebody else
getting or keeping acquainted with; keeping or establishing useful contacts
drinking party; banquet; feast
nature; natural; spontaneous; naturally; spontaneously
popular line (of products); best-selling line; hot sellers
to compile; to bring together; to weave; to put together; to bring to a conclusion; to wrap up
friend; ally; supporter; taking sides with; supporting; standing by
to raise; to lift; to hang up; to raise prices (artificially, deliberately)
knob; handle; snack (to have with a drink); side dish; a pinch (e.g. of salt); (file) handle
disregarding; taking no account of; ignoring; overlooking
to swallow (e.g. a story); to accept without questioning; to swallow (food) whole; to gobble up; to gulp down
it does not mean that ...; I don't mean that ...; it is not the case that
to pick; to pluck; to snip; to cut; to nip
sharply; harshly; stingingly