word game; wordplay; playing with words
exchange; reciprocation; give-and-take; reply; riposte
monologue; soliloquy; talking to oneself
cumulonimbus; gigantic columns of clouds (in summer); thunderhead
cry (esp. animal); roar; chirp; tweet; bark; whine
to become quiet; to quiet down; to quieten down; to calm down; to die down; to subside
moisture; humidity; dampness
decline; downturn; drop; (mental) depression; low spirits
well aware of; know thoroughly; being familiar with (and thus feeling no need for restraint)
PET bottle (clear plastic beverage bottle)
wagashi; traditional Japanese confectionery
bundle; package; parcel; counter for wrapped objects
base of the throat; bottom of the neck
ume liqueur; Japanese plum brandy; unripe ume infused in liquor (esp. shōchū) with added sugar
handmade; homegrown; hand-crafted; homemade
May; fifth month of the lunar calendar
to train; to teach; to acquire (information); to learn; to stock; to stock up on
Japanese apricot (Prunus mume); Japanese plum; ume; lowest (of a three-tier ranking system)
chic; smart; understanding; considerate; familiar with worldly pleasures (esp. sexual relations, geisha districts and red-light districts)
to shift something to; to move something into; to transfer; to transpose; to exchange; to displace
top of the shoulders; tip of the shoulder; collar
at once; immediately; without delay; promptly
to stifle a laugh; to hold back a laugh
selling on the market (in the marketplace, in stores, etc.); making something commercially available; commercial (e.g. software); over-the-counter; off-the-shelf
straight; straightforward; direct; neat (e.g. spirits); black (e.g. tea, coffee); entering university directly from high school; fast ball
to be confused; to be bewildered; to be taken aback
dividing line; parting (of the hair); partition; crisis
order; rank; position (e.g. in a race); precedence
bill; bill of sale; tab (for later payment); credit; contact move (in go); direct attack to an enemy stone; sound effect produced by striking with clappers a wooden board in kabuki
there is no way that ...; easy; simple
doburoku (unrefined sake)
only one (person, thing); sole; highest; best; custom-made
bursting at the seams; bulging; snip-snip (of scissors)
sorting; arrangement; liquidation; settlement; retrenchment; curtailment
to find a clear solution; to come to a clean decision; to give a clear explanation; to divide exactly (without remainder); to divide evenly
to rescue from; to help out of; to save
talkative; loose-lipped; persiflage; frivolous talk
very caring; kind; helpful; service-minded