on the way; en route; in the middle of; midway; halfway
because of; owing to; due to
eye; eyeball; eyesight; sight; look; stare; notice
to go upstream; to go back (in time, to origin); to date back to; to trace back to
to overstep the mark; to go too far; to overdo it
speaking of ...; when it comes to ...; as for ...; if one were to say ...
to play a leading role; to play a central part
floral pattern; flourish; ornament; star (actor, player, etc.)
to line up; to stand in a line; to rival; to match; to equal
to urge; to encourage; to press; to stimulate (e.g. growth); to hasten (e.g. development); to quicken
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
more and more; all the more; at last; finally; (at the) last moment; worst possible time
meeting together; introduction; costarring; appearing together; being matched; facing off
carefree; comfortable; at ease; easygoing; happy-go-lucky
to set up (a house, store, etc.); to build; to have at the ready (e.g. a gun); to hold in preparation (e.g. a camera); to adopt a posture; to assume a stance; to put on an air
instant; moment; for an instant
to do in earnest; to concentrate on; to apply one's mind to
in appearance; to look at; judging from appearances
outward appearance; apparent
to put oneself on guard; to stand ready; to square off
to quarry; to cut (timber); to begin to talk; to break the ice; to start a fire (with flint, by rubbing sticks together, etc.); to select and extract (from a media file)
mention (in a document); record; entry; statement; listing
string; cord; man who is financially dependent on a woman; gigolo; restrictions; conditions
masterwork; masterpiece; crowning work; one's magnum opus; work of the highest quality
appeal (e.g. to public opinion); plea; appeal (e.g. sex appeal); attractiveness; appeal (e.g. in baseball); emphasizing (strong points, etc.)
tomfoolery; monkey business
clicking one's tongue; tut-tut; smacking one's lips (with relish)
to thrust (something) into (something); to cram; to plunge into; to charge into; to delve into (a matter); to go into depth; to press (someone) about
pipe; tube; gun barrel; gun; cannon; well lining
large and rough; big and tough; unrefined; rustic; extreme; excessive
unshapely; ill-formed; misshapen; awkward; clumsy
strange; weird; wonder; mystery; cleverness; adroitness
article; goods; fine thing; fellow; (arch.) prostitute; (arch.) price
what; how; what (a) ...!; how ...!; surprisingly; to my amazement