bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
sure; certain; reliable; trustworthy; If I'm not mistaken; If I remember correctly
to grow up; to become an adult
handsome man; looker; good guy; great guy; influential person (esp. in the yakuza); sumo wrestler
good thing; nice thing; good excuse; good grounds; (good) idea; interjection used to impress an idea or to urge a response
separation (e.g. of rubbish when recycling); classification; discrimination; division; distinction
time and time again; many times; a number of times
delicacy; tact; sensitivity; consideration; thoughtfulness
both hands; both arms; ten
to be puffed up with pride; to throw out one's chest
near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon
(physical) form; shape; visage; (facial) features; form (as opposed to substance); manner (of action); (resultant) state
to be taken aback; to be astonished; to be dumbfounded
towards (a destination); for the purpose of; with the goal of; targeting (a group, a demographic)
poor; pitiable; pathetic; pitiful
fairly wide; quite large; relatively spacious
dots; spots; bit by bit; little by little; here and there; scattered
to rise to the surface; to surface; to stand out (e.g. against a background)
close to the wall; alongside the wall
to sense; to perceive; to understand; to comprehend; to attain enlightenment
establishment; creation; posing (a problem); options setting; preference settings; configuration
country; state; region; national government; central government; home (i.e. hometown, home country); province (of Japan)
small factory in town; (small) backstreet workshop
bad(-tasting); unpalatable; poor; unskillful; ugly; unattractive
although at this late hour; now, although it is too late; afresh; anew; again
to become blue; to turn green; to turn pale; to blanch (with fear)
blunder; fault; error; mistake; failure; disgrace
to take down; to bring down; to drop off (a passenger); to let off; to withdraw (money); to use for the first time; to wear for the first time
weak; weakly; feeble; frail; delicate; faint (voice, sunlight, etc.)
for two people's eyes to meet; catching someone's eye; making eye contact; meeting a person's gaze
to offend someone; to give offence; to hurt someone's feelings
this company; this firm; this shrine
discourtesy; impoliteness; excuse me; goodbye; to leave; to be rude
awkward (movements, speech, etc.); jerky; stiff; strained (relations); sour
just like that; quite so; I agree; that street
really; truly; very; extremely; exceedingly; sincerely
I'm sorry; (it's) inexcusable; thank you very much (for help, etc.)
fragment; broken piece; chip; ounce (of truth, conscience, etc.); trace; shred
position; situation; viewpoint; standpoint; point of view