battle of wits; contest of wits
traditional cap worn by Shinto clergy and courtiers; crown; diadem; top kanji radical; first verse of a haikai, etc.; best; peerless
to advance to the next stage (e.g. in a tournament)
bend; curvature; deflection
slipping one's hand beneath the opponent's arm and latching on to the underside of his belt
government service; official position; civil service
to appoint; to nominate; to consider (oneself) to be; to pose as; to assume (a role, responsibility, etc.); to take on
to border; to fringe; to hem; to edge
illicit sale; smuggling; bootlegging; trafficking
one-person show; one-woman show; one-man show; performing solo; monodrama
to mount (animal behaviour); to assert dominance
(an individual's) way of playing mahjong; mahjong tactics
shivering (with cold); trembling (with fear); shuddering
good; excellent; sufficient; enough; profitable (deal, business offer, etc.); beneficial
to push (someone) around; to shove around; to treat roughly; to bully
to have dealings with; to get involved with; to pay attention to; to take notice of
admiration; being impressed (by)
can't go on like this; can't stand it anymore; can't take it any longer
piece(s) of firewood (esp. chopped or split from logs); kindling (twigs, branches, etc.); firewood
many people; a large number of people
flesh-color; flesh-colour
yellowish; tinged with yellow
to speak with restraint; to understate; to downplay; to put it mildly; to say the least
light (flavor, color, etc.); simple; plain; frank; candid; easygoing
if times were better; if one had been born at an earlier, more opportune time; if times had not changed; if I had my due
genealogy; lineage; family tree; pedigree
bum; good-for-nothing; ne'er-do-well
trust; confidence; credence
strict prohibition; ban; interdiction
to take into consideration; to use one's discretion
speaking about (one's thoughts, memories, etc.); relating (one's feelings, reminiscences, etc.); recollection; reminiscence
to leave words (behind one, e.g. after death); to say (for posterity); to utter last words; to leave some things unsaid
investigation (e.g. into someone's guilt); questioning; pressing; catching up; overtaking
doublet (14th-17th century men's jacket)
hurried construction; hurried production; hasty manufacture; hasty formation
to bend by twisting; to twist; to contort; to distort (e.g. the truth); to twist (e.g. someone's words)
looking after a baby; taking care of a baby; babysitting; babysitter
unnatural phenomenon; strange happenings; haunting
naked eye; the physical eye