noun:

• diseases specified by the Japanese government as being worrisome, having no known treatment and of unknown causes

noun:

• "limit of heat" solar term (approx. Aug. 23, when the weather is said to start cooling down) ➜ 二十四節気

noun:

• Great Interregnum (gap between Hohenstaufen and Habsburg rule of the Holy Roman Empire, approx. 1254-1273 CE)

noun:

• letter explaining the reasons for cutting down an alleged villain; assassin's written vindication of his killing

noun:

• slow-paced style of shamisen music with vocal accompaniment (popular during the late Edo period) - 歌沢節 was used especially by the Tora school that emphasized voice; 哥沢節 was used especially by the Shiba school that emphasized shamisen ➜ うた沢

noun:

• butcher-bird prey impaled on twigs, thorns, etc. for later consumption - abbreviation ➜ 百舌の早贄
• first offering of the season - orig. meaning

noun:

• comprador; compradore
• person working for a foreign company to the detriment of their own country

noun:

• leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata, species found along the Pacific coast of North America) ➜ レパードシャーク

noun:

• bulletin board displaying the name, age, offence, etc. of a criminal sentenced to death (Edo period) - archaism

expression:

• A single seed can eventually produce a great harvest; Even the smallest beginning can generate a greatest profit; Watch the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves - four character idiom

noun:

• fried finely minced daikon, great burdock, carrot and shiitake mushrooms wrapped with crumbled tofu in dried beancurd and deep-fried
• Japanese tofu and vegetable chowder - abbreviation ➜ 巻繊汁
• black soybean sprouts fried in sesame seed oil wrapped in dried beancurd and stewed - orig. meaning - archaism

expression:

• it's always darkest before the dawn; the darkest hour is just before the dawn

noun:

• prajna; wisdom required to attain enlightenment - Buddhism term - From Sanskrit "prajñā"
• noh mask of a grinning, horned demoness (represents a woman's rage and jealousy) ➜ 般若面【はんにゃめん】
• family crest designed after the Hannya noh mask
• dreadful face (esp. of a woman driven mad by jealousy); terrifying facial expression - abbreviation ➜ 般若面【はんにゃづら】

noun:

• Heian-period pastry made of duck or goose eggs mixed with vegetables boiled and wrapped in mochi which is then cut into squares

expression / godan ~む verb:

• to poke one's nose into another's affairs; to have a hand in; to take a (deep) interest in; to meddle in
• to poke one's head (into a room)

expression / godan ~す verb:

• to harm oneself in an attempt to harm someone else; to spit at the heavens and have one's spit land back on one's face [literal] - proverb ➜ 天に唾する

noun:

• preface; introduction ➜ 前置き
• lead in (to a joke, question, etc.); lead up
• payment in advance (by bank transfer) - abbreviation ➜ 前振込み
• swinging (one's body) forward

noun:

• origin; source - usu. 元
• base; basis; foundation; root - esp. 基
• cause - also 因, 原
• ingredient; material - esp. 素
• (somebody's) side; (somebody's) location ［元］
• original cost (or capital, principal, etc.)
• (plant) root; (tree) trunk
• first section of a waka ➜ 和歌

counter:

• counter for blades of grass, tree trunks, etc., and for falcons (in falconry) ［本］

noun:

• handle (chopsticks, brush, etc.); grip

noun:

• temple affairs
• temple administrator; person in charge of temple affairs - archaism

noun:

• scaffold; scaffolding
• foothold; footing
• foothold (e.g. in business); foundation; base
• convenience for transportation; convenience of access (by road or rail) ➜ 交通の便【こうつうのべん】

noun / ~する noun:

• participation in a war; going to war
• "taking part in a competition or contest" [figurative]

godan ~む verb / transitive:

• to pull into; to draw in; to bring in
• to win over

noun:

• extremely important or once in a lifetime (request); only once in one's lifetime - four character idiom

expression / godan ~う verb:

• to keep in contact (e.g. by phone, mail, etc.); to keep in touch

noun:

• (as used in Northern Japan) greenling ➜ 鮎魚女
• (as used in Kochi and surrounds) medaka ricefish ➜ 目高