pencil case; pencil box; writing brush case
to finish; to stop; to close (a business, etc.); to close down; to put away; to put back
intention; plan; belief; assumption; estimate; estimation
for no particular reason; for some reason or other; somehow or other
to talk; to speak; to tell; to explain; to speak (a language)
is that so? (generally rhetorical)
older brother; elder brother; young man; buddy; fella
detective; investigator; sleuth; detective work; secret investigation
particle indicating that the speaker is trying to recall some information
to be helpful; to be useful
hmm; well ...; humph; roughly; harshly; violently
border; boundary; turning point; watershed; area; region
centre; center; middle; capital; seat of government
line; stripe; line (e.g. telephone line); wire; ray (e.g. X-ray); beam; line (e.g. of a railroad)
to get on (train, plane, bus, ship, etc.); to get in; to get on (e.g. a footstool); to step on; to reach; to go over; to follow
but (still); and yet; nevertheless; even so; notwithstanding
railway station; train station; staging post on a highway (in pre-modern Japan); counter for railway stations and bus stations
near; nearby; not far off
multi-floor building; multi-storey building; tall building
to line up; to stand in a line; to rival; to match; to equal
detective bureau; detective agency; investigation firm
shop; store; somebody who sells (something) or works as (something); somebody with a (certain) personality trait; house; roof
Chinese dumpling; Chinese steamed bun
to buy; to purchase; to value; to have a high opinion; to stir; to provoke
thin; slender; fine; unlucky
alley; alleyway; teahouse garden; path through a gate (or through a garden, etc.)
stylish; smart; elegant; chic; refined; trim
mailbox; letter box; letterbox; mail slot
to write down; to note; to jot down; to remember
to borrow; to have a loan; to rent; to hire
given that ... it is only natural that ...; ... being the case, it is unavoidable that ...; (precisely) because ...; contrary to expectations ...
to pass through; to pass by; to pass (of time); to elapse; to have expired; to have ended; to exceed
key; lock; key (to a problem); clue
to insert; to put in; to have a griping pain; to flow in; to shine in
or something; for instance ... (though there are other suitable options); ... or ...; as soon as; right after; while still
to sigh; to breathe a sigh
wastepaper; scrap of paper; paper scraps
to be scattered about; to disperse; to be littered (with)
mostly; nearly; practically; well-nigh; almost invariably; all but