step; stride; counter for steps
to approach; to draw near; to get close; to get acquainted with; to get closer to; to get to know
endorsing and questioning the preceding statement; lamenting reflections on the preceding statement
to ask; to enquire; to query
back; reverse; rear side; height; stature; ridge (of a mountain)
to leave; to go away; to pass; to elapse; to be distant; to send away; to drive off
the Rat (first sign of the Chinese zodiac); hour of the Rat (around midnight, 11pm to 1am, or 12 midnight to 2am); north; eleventh month of the lunar calendar
room; chamber; apartment; flat; stable
tofu skin; dried beancurd; delicacy made from the skin of gently boiled soybean milk
to drain; to pour; to wash away; to distribute (e.g. electricity over wires, music over a PA system, etc.); to circulate; to cruise (e.g. taxi); to float
to open (a door, etc.); to unwrap (e.g. parcel, package); to open (for business, etc.); to empty; to remove; to move out; to clear out
by the way; incidentally; sometimes; occasionally; precisely (at that time); exactly
to use (a thing, method, etc.); to make use of; to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.); to employ; to use (time, money, etc.); to spend
one person; being alone; being by oneself; being single; being unmarried; by oneself
wet nurse; nursing mother
bedside; near one's pillow
to make sure someone is asleep; to listen for the breath of a sleeping person; to commit a wrongdoing while someone is sleeping
true character; true form; true colors (colours); consciousness; one's senses
breathing of a sleeping person
low (rank, degree, value, content, quality, etc.); low (position); close to the ground; short (height); deep (voice); in a low key
small; little; slight; below average (in degree, amount, etc.); low (e.g. sound); soft (e.g. voice)
round; circular; spherical; mellow (flavour, voice, etc.); mild; smooth
futon; Japanese bedding consisting of a mattress and a duvet; round cushion used for Zen meditation (traditionally made of woven bulrush leaves)
to turn; to revolve; to visit several places; to function well; to pass a certain time
softly; gently; stealthily; secretly; to leave alone; to leave as it is
to stray from; to get lost
half the body; half length
to pinch; to hold (between one's fingers); to pick up and eat; to snack on; to pick out (the main point); to summarize
to take a pinch of something (e.g. salt); to pick up in one's fingers
cruel; heartless; violent; intense; very bad; terrible
to wake up; to sober up; to come to one's senses; to become enlightened
good; advantage; sake; purpose; consequence; result
before long; soon; almost; nearly; finally; in the end
innocence; insentient (i.e. plants, inanimate objects, etc.); free from obstructive thoughts; to pester someone (for cash, etc.)
to open; to undo; to bloom; to unfold; to open (for business, e.g. in the morning); to be wide (gap, etc.); to widen
dead body; corpse; cadaver; carcass
perception; sensation; awareness
unusual event; strange occurrence; strange phenomenon; something abnormal; change (for the worse); accident
to; for; from the standpoint of; as far as ... is concerned