tottering steps; drunken staggering
to meet; to encounter; to see; to have an accident; to have a bad experience
direction; way; side (of an argument, etc.); one's part; type; category; field (of study, etc.)
suitable; proper; appropriate; perfunctory; half-minded; sloppy
to take the middle (between the two); to split the difference
wintertime; winter season
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
to soften; to calm down; to be eased; to be mitigated; to subside; to abate
from now on; after this; in the future; from here; from this point
sunlight; rays of the Sun
to get strong; to gain strength
place; location; room; space; basho; wrestling tournament
something like ...; something called ...
betterment; improvement; kaizen (Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement)
training; practice; discipline; ascetic practices
place; spot; grounds; arena; stadium; range
to stick it out (until the end)
(place of) refuge; escape; exit; way out; shelter; hiding place
now; soon; already; yet; further; more
to head towards; to be inclined to go towards; to head for a place naturally
secret; private; surreptitious
sidelong glance; short grain (paper)
safe; secure; certainly; surely; no thanks; I'm good
nevertheless; at any rate; even so; all things considered; be that as it may
to meet (by chance); to come across; to meet (e.g. of rivers, highways, etc.); to emerge and engage (an enemy)
to pass (of time); to elapse
relation; relationship; participation; involvement; influence; effect
to think about; to send one's heart out to; to give more than a passing thought to; to think of something far away; to think nostalgically upon (esp. one's hometown)
next (year, spring, etc.); coming; since (last month, etc.); for (20 years, etc.)
to match (rhythm, speed, etc.); to join together; to unite; to face; to be opposite (someone); to compare; to check with
connection; link; relationship
foundation; base; basis; from the beginning; from the outset; by nature
tightly (holding on); firmly; strongly (built); solidly; properly; well
instability; insecurity; crankiness
to feel right; to sit well with one; to be happy about; to suit to a T; to fit well together
suffix for familiar person
play; sport; fun; caprice; joke; jest
lack of expression; blank look (on one's face)
to (take out and) show; to demonstrate; to point out (finger, clock hand, needle, etc.); to indicate; to show