origin; source; base; basis; cause; ingredient; material
rural area; countryside; the sticks; hometown
person's origin (e.g. city, country, parentage, school)
mountain; hill; mine (e.g. coal mine); heap; pile; crown (of a hat); thread (of a screw)
river; stream; River; the ... river
to be born and raised (in); to be born and brought up; to be born and bred
university; college; former central university of Kyoto (established under the ritsuryo system for the training of government administrators); the Great Learning (one of the Four Books)
for the first time; only after ... is it ...; only when ... do you ...; first time; (one's) first
ordinance-designated city (administrative division for cities with a population of over 500,000)
center; centre; metropolis
near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon
living by oneself; living alone
license; permit; licence; certificate
motorcycle; motorbike; bicycle
to take; to pick up; to pass; to hand; to get; to obtain; to adopt (a method, proposal, etc.)
city; Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly
(way of) life; living; livelihood; life circumstances
recruiting; job offer; job vacancy
home town; birthplace; native place; (arch.) ruins; (arch.) historic remains
somehow or other; for some reason or another; without knowing why
without change; as is; just like; extremely similar; immediately; just after
several years; a few years
to pass (of time); to elapse
(approximate) time; around; suitable time (or condition); time of year; season
very much; intensely; overwhelmingly; excessively; irresistibly; without any obvious reason
serious; honest; sober; grave; earnest; steady
-ness; indicates assertion; come; come now
valuation; appraisal; evaluation; appreciation; recognition; acknowledgement
to entrust; to leave to a person
to that extent; accordingly; that being the case; that state; that condition
company; corporation; workplace
time; hour; period; class
to get up; to rise; to wake up; to be awake; to occur (usu. of unfavourable incidents); to happen
to return; to come home; to leave; to get home; to get to home plate
to decrease (in size or number); to diminish; to abate
nightlife districts; drinking districts
to run; to run (of a vehicle); to drive; to rush (to); to dash; to retreat; to flee
to get tired; to tire; to become worn out (of a well-used object); (arch.) to starve
spare time; free time; time (e.g. time it takes to do something); time off; day off; quitting (one's job); firing someone