sampling a drink; tasting
to take a lot of dealing with; to be a handful
copper (Cu); bronze (medal)
penance; austerities; mortification; asceticism
coal mine; (coal) pit; colliery; coal-mine shaft
spirit of a true artisan; (a craftsman's) pride in one's work
popular (with); in favour (with); well received
grilled slices of lotus root, eggplant, etc. with a filling (usu. minced meat)
compromise; cross; blending; eclecticism
to resign; to abandon; to step aside; to back out of; to retire; to get away
strain; deformation; warp; harmful effects; strain; stress
acquaintance; relation; affinity; reason
to fail; to blunder; to mess up; to be dismissed; to be fired
fine product; masterpiece
certificate; certified document; (the) thumbs up; seal of approval; paper with signature of the shogun or lord
to rub; to chafe; to strike (match); to lose (e.g. a match); to forfeit; to squander one's money (e.g. through gambling, Pachinko, etc.)
dropout; quitter; deserter
to slide; to slip off; to get dislocated; to drag; to pull
Tuesday; fire (second of the five elements)
casting; founding; minting
Damascus (Syria); Dimashq
woman's looks; woman's charm
ten thousand years; eternity; perennial; perpetual
out of the blue; all of a sudden; without warning; unexpectedly
to kick (at someone, something)
erotic manga; pornographic manga
female friend; woman friend
greed; avarice; covetousness; greedy person
if one is unlucky; if one is careless