true meaning; underlying principle
to contract (to do); to undertake; to take on (work); (arch.) to take responsibility for; (arch.) to be liable for
sole prerogative; exclusive prerogative
to discern (e.g. right from wrong); to discriminate; to distinguish; to know (manners, one's place, etc.); to understand; to bear in mind
wise; sensible; well-advised; intelligent; sagacious; prudent
close (relationship, connection, etc.); intimate; near; being in close proximity; being adjacent
university or college offering four-year programs; the big four ...; the four major ...
to be furious; to seethe with anger; to have one's blood boiling
often; again and again; over and over again; repeatedly; frequently
connection (to a person, place, etc.); relation; affinity
three noble families (Kan'in, Kazan'in and Nakanoin or Koga); three branches of the Tokugawa family (Owari, Kii and Mito)
national politics; political situation; statecraft; body politic
biological older sister; real elder sister
direct descent; direct line
letter; note; book; writings; literary arts; learning
to write (e.g. a letter); to draw up (a document); to take down (e.g. notes); to have (lunch, dinner, etc.); to eat
kindness; favour; favor; hospitality
everyday life; daily life
to break down due to overwork; to try so hard that the situation gets worse
strict; severe; stringent; rigorous; rigid; firm
permanent; perpetual; lasting
absolutely normal; perfectly commonplace; taken for granted
alone; by oneself; on one's own
within eyeshot; within sight; in view
to go flying along; to move fast (against the wind)
wide open sky; the blue; heavens; firmament
hard-to-believe; unbelievable; incredible; fabulous
post horse; mounted courier; express messenger on horseback; fast horse; swift horse
official letter (from the Emperor, Prime Minister, etc.); personal message; handwritten letter; autograph letter
character analysis; personality assessment
bargaining point; terms of exchange; conditions for meeting a demand
cancelling (a debt); forgiving (a debt); being even; forgetting (what was said or done); pretending (something never happened)
having a headache; racking one's brains; troubling over something
origin of an affair; spark that lit the fuse; beginning
with a whiff; with a puff; suddenly; abruptly; without warning
going straight to the point; cutting it short; as it turns out