this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
story; tale; narrative; account; fable; legend
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
protagonist; main character; hero(ine) (of a story); head of household
"minor snow" solar term (approx. November 22)
indicates sentence topic; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
as a matter of fact; by the way; to tell you the truth; to be honest; frankly
ghost; apparition; phantom; spectre; specter; demon
yuki-onna (spirit in Japanese folklore); snow woman
human realm; world of humans; terrestrial world
at; in; at; when; by; with; and then
news (from somebody); letter; contact; (somebody's) whereabouts; (somebody's) movements
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 sever; to cut off; to suppress; to eradicate; to abstain (from); to give up
older sister; elder sister
(one's) whereabouts; destination; where one is headed; outcome; course (of events); future
to chase; to run after; to follow (a set order, a trend, etc.); to drive out; to get rid of; to drive (e.g. a herd)
spring day; spring sunlight
plain; field; hidden (structural) member; wild; lacking a political post
educational institution; school; academy; campus
at (place, time); in; to (direction, state); toward; for (purpose); because of (reason); for
infiltration; sneaking in; going undercover
if; when; and; with; used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.); promoted pawn; indicates a question
to become known; to come to light; to be known; to be understood; to clearly not amount to much; to be insignificant
that; the; part (as in "part two"); um ...; er ...
above; up; top; summit; surface; before; previous
to be clear (of a sight, sound, colour, etc.); to be bright; to be clear-headed; to be alert; to look upbeat; to be perky; to master (a skill)
dimly; faintly; absentmindedly; vacantly; idly; aimlessly
man; male; fellow; guy; male lover; boyfriend
mind; heart; spirit; the meaning of a phrase (riddle, etc.)
to snatch away; to dispossess; to steal
to finish; to stop; to close (a business, etc.); to close down; to put away; to put back
he; she; that person; that; that one; that thing
to be aware of; to know; to notice; to feel; to understand; to comprehend; to remember
abruptly; suddenly; all of a sudden; without warning
seppuku; harakiri; ritual suicide by disembowelment; seppuku as a death penalty (where the convict is decapitated by a second as they make the motions to disembowel themself; Edo period)
be; is; did; (have) done; please; do
now; soon; already; yet; further; more
why?; what for?; how?; by what means?
such; that sort of; that kind of; no way!; never!
to calm down; to compose oneself; to calm down; to settle down; to settle down (in a location, job, etc.); to settle in; to be settled
yes; yeah; huh?; what?; not; 's
hey; you; hey; hey; hold on; yo
person; someone; human beings; mankind; human (Homo sapiens); (other) people; others
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; regardless of; whether (or not)