blood relationship; consanguinity; blood relative
academic background; academic credentials; academic record
to fuss over; to be particular about; to be obsessive about; to be fixated on; to obstruct; to hinder
(real) ability; true strength; merit; arms; force
to put up (a notice, sign, etc.); to hang out (e.g. a banner); to hold up high; to raise overhead; to tout (a principle, plan, etc.); to herald; to publish
original; unique; distinctive; independent; one's own; personal
route (bus, train, air, etc.); line; line (taken by a group, organization, etc.); policy; course
clique; group; (political) faction; wing; school; sect
Satsuma (former province located in the west of present-day Kagoshima Prefecture); sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
to entrust; to send (a message, etc.)
reliance; trust; faith; confidence
that's the way it is; yes; is that so?; is it?
easy; simple; there's no way that ...
it seems; I think; I guess; right?; don't you agree?
how about ...?; I wonder; I don't know
in a great quantity; plentifully; greatly
carpenter's square; instigation; suggestion
cool (temperature, color, etc.); cool (i.e. calm and collected); cool (i.e. fashionable, attractive, etc.); course (of medical treatment); season (series) of a television program (usu. 13 installments over a 3-month period)
top; top position; senior management; senior bureaucrat
appropriate; adequate; suitable; fitting; worthy
nicely; properly; frequently; often; I'm glad that you ...; thank you for ...
incomplete understanding; doubt; question; distrust; suspicion; strangeness
dot; spot; mark (in an exam, etc.); grade; point (in a game); score; point (in geometry)
(one's) superior; (one's) boss; the higher-ups
finding fault (with); being picky
calm; quiet; gentle; moderate; reasonable; amicable
matter; affair; counter for (received) emails, text messages, voicemail messages, etc.; counter for accounts (on a website, email service, etc.)
to hear; to listen (e.g. to music); to ask; to enquire; to hear about; to hear of; to follow (advice, order, etc.)
material (for a story, article, etc.); information; joke; jest; proof; evidence; (magician's) trick
to search for; to look for; to hunt for; to search (a house, pocket, etc.); to search through; to rummage in (e.g. a drawer)
to desire; to wish for; to expect; to see; to command (a view of)
to think; to consider; to think (of doing); to plan (to do); to judge; to assess; to imagine
to disappear (of people or animals); to go (away); to leave; to no longer exist
also; too; not ... either; (it's not possible) no matter what; although one might wish otherwise