indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
extent; degree; limit; bounds; (span of) time; (a) distance; the state of
in front (of); before (e.g. a building); before; earlier; (the) front; frontal part; forward
until (a time); till; to (a place or person); as far as; to (an extent); up to
place near the mountains; hilly section of a city (e.g. Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohama)
line; stripe; line (e.g. telephone line); wire; ray (e.g. X-ray); beam; line (e.g. of a railroad)
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
to shake; to jolt; to rock (cradle); to swing
ordinary; common; commonplace; mediocre; unremarkable; undistinguished
office worker; company employee; company man; salaryman (stereotypical Japanese office worker)
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
Mr.; Mrs.; Miss; politeness marker
now; the present time; just now; another; more
somehow; for some reason or other
to hear; to listen (e.g. to music); to ask; to enquire; to hear about; to hear of; to follow (advice, order, etc.)
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
too; also; both A and B; A as well as B; even; as much as
nonexistent; not being (there); unowned; not had; unique; not; impossible
country; state; region; national government; central government; home (i.e. hometown, home country); (arch.) province (of Japan)
at; in; at; when; by; with; and then
flight from one's country; seeking asylum; defection; emigration (for political reasons); (going into) exile; becoming a (political) refugee
Lord; Sir; state minister (under the ritsuryo system); (arch.) you (in reference to someone of lower status)
to try to ...; to be about to do ...; to decide to ...; to take as; to treat as; to use for; to suppose that (such) is the case
(way of) life; living; livelihood; life circumstances
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
to do; to carry out; to cause to become; to make (into); to serve as; to act as; to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.)
this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
name; given name; title; fame; renown; pretext
called; named; as many as; as much as; all ...; every single ...
here; this place; this point; here; these past ... (e.g. three years); these last ...
perhaps; probably; generous; many; much
to be aware of; to know; to notice; to feel; to understand; to comprehend; to remember
the world; society; sphere; circle; world-renowned; world-famous
be; is; did; (have) done; please; do
document; official papers
under one's arm; (in) the armpit
to hold in one's arms; to carry in one's arms; to have (problems, debts, etc.); to take on (a responsibility); to employ; to have (on one's staff)
office (e.g. the Oval Office)
to face; to go towards; to head towards
suited figure; person in a suit