chief; main; principal; important
harmless (remark, topic, etc.); inoffensive; safe; bland; neutral (attitude); noncommittal (reply)
declining; refusal; rejection; announcement; notice
free (of restraint, controls, etc.); free (of charge); freelance; independent; freelancer; one-size-fits-all; free skating
taking a cut (of someone else's money); taking a rake-off; pocketing a kickback; skimming (a percentage of the profits, proceeds, etc.)
to ration out and survive on (some food); to eke out a living
to flip-flop; to do an about-face; (lit.) to flip over one's hand; to do something easy
pent-up resentment; grudges and hard feelings
to head out (for); to head (to); to go (to); to leave (for)
to prevent (something) from occurring; to forestall; to avert; to nip in the bud
secret manoeuvres (maneuvers); operating behind the scenes
quest (esp. in role-playing games)
underground; below the ground; world of the dead; the grave; underground (activities, movement, etc.); secret
exposed; scanty; bare; public; open
statue of Buddha; image of Buddha; Buddhist statue; Buddhist image
cultural assets; cultural property
now that; since; so long as; because
revival; resuscitation; revitalization; rejuvenation; regeneration
far from; anything but; not at all ... but rather ...; let alone; to say nothing of; not to mention
No Longer Human (1948 novel by Osamu Dazai)
whitewashing; glossing over; lip service; (arch.) deftly finishing up; (arch.) putting on the final touches
suicide attack; kamikaze attack
to be degraded; to come down in the world; to lose status; to be ruined; to fall low
predecessor; pioneer; ancestor
trembling slightly; quivering softly; swaying gently; softly; springy
to drive to death (e.g. by suicide); to cause to die
to eat; to drink; to receive (e.g. a blow); to be on the receiving end (of something undesirable); to undergo (trouble)
thickheaded; slow-witted; phlegmatic; slow (of one's movements); sluggish
disregarding; taking no account of; ignoring; overlooking
taking a straight look at something; looking someone in the eyes
to raise one's voice; to shout
eyesight; vision; visual acuity
to admit fault; to admit one is wrong
rather; sooner; preferably; on the contrary; if anything
to relax; to make oneself comfortable
pain; anguish; distress; suffering; hardship
overreliance on others; excessive babyishness; person who behaves like a spoiled child
to be sloppy; to be lazy; to be worn out; to be exhausted; to be worn out (e.g. equipment); to have stopped working
war; battle; campaign; (arch.) troops; (arch.) forces
not knowing one's social position; overweening; overreaching; forgetting who one is
you could say that; that might be so
skirmish; brush (with the enemy); minor battle; squabble; (petty) quarrel; argument
flower; blossom; cherry blossom; beauty; blooming (esp. of cherry blossoms); ikebana; hanafuda