impressive; striking; memorable; impactful
handle; grip; holder; person who holds
one's own judgement (judgment); decision made without consulting others; arbitrary decision; dogmatism
to protect (someone); to look after (e.g. an injured leg); to defend; to cover for; to stand up for; to stick up for
branch road; forked road; branch; crossroads (of a course of events); turning point; parting of the ways
going down the road; travelling; lyric composition describing scenery a traveler sees on the way (traveller); eloping; coat worn over a woman's kimono
furnishings; implements; equipment
third party; third person; outsider; disinterested person
criminal; lawbreaker; wrongdoer; offender
table; chart; list; memorial to an emperor
to fold (clothes, umbrella); to close (a shop, business); to vacate
(having) two choices; choice between two things
ringleader; mastermind; leader (of a plot)
administration (of medicine); giving medication
origin; (arch.) appearance of an auspicious sign that one will receive a divine mandate to becoming emperor; (arch.) birth of an emperor or his ancestors
origin; beginning; source
miko; shrine maiden; young girl or woman (trad. an unmarried virgin) who assists priests at shrines; medium; sorceress; shamaness
message; informative matter
to swindle out of; to cheat out of; to defraud of; to misrepresent oneself as; to pretend to be; to assume (a name or title)
benefits gained in this world through observance of the Buddhist teachings; happiness gained in this world through observance of the Buddhist teachings
strict prohibition; ban; interdiction
contention; competition; rivalry; quarrel
foundation; root; basis; root and trunk
support; backing; endorsement; propping up; holding up; support
if one is unlucky; if one is careless
in spite of; despite; although; nonetheless; nevertheless; but
sliver of hope; gleam of hope; ray of hope
halting (speech); faltering; stammering
rescue; extricate; reclaim; deliverance
bamboo (any grass of subfamily Bambusoideae); middle (of a three-tier ranking system)
in; on; at; during; in the condition of
method of bringing up; method of raising
to take (seat, position, course, office, etc.); to assume; to ascend (the throne); to accede; to start (on a journey); to commence
stable period; period of stability; stable stage of pregnancy (i.e. 12th week and onwards, when risk of miscarriage decreases)
taking up a post away from one's family; job transfer without one's family; living apart from one's family for the sake of one's job; unaccompanied posting
moral (spiritual) improvement; practice mental training; cultivate one's mind (soul)
decapitation; decapitated head
to be vague; to speak ambiguously; to be evasive; to not commit oneself
nothing costs as much as what is given to us; there's no such thing as a free lunch
to collect (e.g. one's thoughts); to get in order
practical problem; practical matter