removing a bad taste; cleansing one's palate; palate cleanser; intermezzo; dish or beverage to cleanse one's palate between dishes of a meal
carefully made; carefully produced; quality product; product made with care
to grumble; to gripe; to complain
tone (of voice); manner of talking
total fire ban; no source of ignition permitted; no open flame; flammables!
straight; straightforward; direct; neat (e.g. spirits); black (e.g. tea, coffee); entering university directly from high school; fast ball
shrill; strident; sharp (pain, e.g. headache, earache); ice-cold; very cold
regular drinking; habitual drinking
not at all inferior to; compare favorably (with); being even better than; rivalling; surpassing
unwillingly; grudgingly; shaking head in refusal (like a child); no!; no no!
points paid and received at the end of a game of mahjong based on position (rank)
stingily; tightfistedly; in a miserly manner; naggingly
for goodness' sake; for the love of God; I implore you, ...; I beg of you, ...
association; socializing; socialising; fellowship
(any) particular; special; particularly noteworthy; worth mentioning
Napoleon; napoleon (Japanese card game)
rock (music); rock; boulder; on the rocks
fault; weakness; flaw; crux (of a matter); difficult point; point of contention
fan; enthusiast; lover (of); fan (e.g. electric)
rapid increase; proliferation; surge; explosion
mellow (flavor or fragrance, esp. alcohol); rich; full-bodied; superior
Niigata prefecture (Hokuriku area)
sake brewery; wine cellar; bar; bar-room
fame; reputation; popularity; rumour (rumor); talk
going down smoothly (esp. of beer); tasting good going down
magnificent; grand; fair; square; grandly; boldly
having no wife; being single; being unmarried; unmarried man
to rise; to raise up; to straighten up; to sit up; to stand up
sharp pain; acute pain; intense pain
all over the body; from head to foot; all over