basics; fundamentals; basis; basically; fundamentally
sword; dagger; knife; bayonet
gun; firearm; wooden pole that wrestlers strike in practice; puffer fish
available; enabled; can be used; may be used
only; just; solely; prostitute attached to a single member of the post-WWII occupation forces
no sooner than; as soon as; immediately after; at the thought of; when I think about
one digit; one column; the "ones" column
party; group; crew; company (of troops); corps; unit
best (highest) record; new record
shock troop commander; spearhead of a shock unit
chattering (teeth); (frozen, worried) stiff; rigid (personality, thinking, etc.); inflexible; voracious (e.g. work, study); without slack or pause
person who occupies a position or rank; person who is good enough to be ranked in a sport
influential person; powerful person; big wheel; big gun; power behind the throne
nothing but; none other than
glaring at; scowling at; looking contemptuously at; frowning down upon; domineering with a coercive look
to set off an explosive; to start a fire under someone; to motivate someone with rough words
bent back; prone posture; weak-kneed; timidity; lack of nerve
will (to do something); drive; motivation; enthusiasm; eagerness
scabbard; sheath; cap (on a brush, pen, etc.); case; margin (between two prices); spread
that year; same year; same age
ball; sphere; bead (of sweat, dew, etc.); drop; ball (in sports); pitch (e.g. in baseball); pile (of noodles, etc.)
shaku (unit of distance approximately equal to 30.3 cm); rule; measure; length
limited time; limited-time offer
change; alteration; difference; distinction; something wrong; abnormality
bag; sack; skin of an orange (and other like fruits); dead end; plot of land surrounded by water
to meet fortuitously; to meet by chance; to happen across
things one is carrying; things one has on one's person; thing one owns; one's property; mistress; lover
imperial loyalist samurai of the Bakumatsu-era; patriots; idealists willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the nation
drawing a sword; drawn sword
karma; result of one's karma; fate; uncontrollable temper
farewell poem; death poem; poem written during one's final moments
to be pretentious; to put on airs; to try to appear smart; to act brave; to try to look cool
beheading followed by mounting of the head on a pike in front of the prison (Edo period)
surrender; capitulation; submission; yield
begging for one's life; pleading for one's life
finally; at last; barely; narrowly; gradually; little by little
to take a breather; to take a rest; to catch one's breath; to take a breath