today; this day; these days; recently; nowadays
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
theme; topic; subject matter; motif; project; slogan
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
from (e.g. time, place, numerical quantity); since; from (originator); by; because; since; out of (constituent, part)
to be handed down; to be introduced; to be transmitted; to be circulated; to go along; to walk along
concerning; regarding; per (e.g. 100 yen per person); for every
to talk; to speak; to tell; to explain; to speak (a language)
tea (usu. green); tea break (at work); tea ceremony
road; path; route; way; distance; journey; road (e.g. to victory)
if; when; and; with; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.); promoted pawn; indicates a question
to write; to compose; to pen; to draw; to paint
to read; to recite (e.g. a sutra); to chant; to predict; to guess; to decipher; to count
indicates word or phrase being defined; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.); with; (not) as much as; (not) so much as; the fact that
simple; easy; uncomplicated; brief; quick; light
single word; a few words; brief comment
at; in; at; when; by; with; and then
to say; to utter; to name; to call; to go (e.g. "the alarm went ping"); to make a noise
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
to drink; to gulp; to smoke (tobacco); to engulf; to overwhelm; to keep down; to suppress
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
but; however; (and) yet; nevertheless; still; for all that
simply; merely; only; solely
only; just; merely; as much as; to the extent of; enough to
to be (in contrast to something that is not the case)
first (of all); firstly; probably; most likely; more or less (satisfactory); on the whole
introduction; presentation; referral; listing
to think; to consider; to think (of doing); to plan (to do); to judge; to assess; to imagine
originally; by nature; from the start
China; Chūgoku region (western part of Honshu comprising the prefectures of Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tottori and Shimane); central part of a country; main region; province of the second lowest rank (ritsuryo system)
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)
place of origin (of a plant or animal species, etc.); natural habitat; original home; place of origin (of manufactured goods)
number one; first; best; most; game; round
beginning; outset; first; onset
to make; to produce; to prepare (food); to brew (alcohol); to raise; to grow; to till
century; era; of the century (e.g. fight of the century)
(approximate) time; around; suitable time (or condition); time of year; season
at that time; in those days; at that moment; then
to be called ...; to be referred to as ...