to shorten the distance (between); to close the gap (e.g. on the leader); to get closer (e.g. to someone); to close in (on)
to expedite; to encourage; to spur (on)
(I) think (that); (I) have a feeling (that); (I) fancy (that)
approximate age; apparent age; marriageable age (esp. of a woman); age of maturity; appropriate age (to ...); old enough (to ...)
going in and out; entering and exiting; visiting regularly; frequenting; income and expenditure; incomings and outgoings; increase and decrease
PET bottle (clear plastic beverage bottle)
pudding (esp. custard); black hair dyed blond but where the roots have again turned black
contents; interior; substance; content; (sword) blade
freezing; cold storage; refrigeration
udon; thick Japanese wheat noodles
soroban bead with value five
to hold (in one's hand); to take (into one's hand); to own; to obtain
to get cloudy; to cloud over; to cloud up; to fog up; to be gloomy; to be clouded (expression)
range; stove; cooker; microwave oven
ding (of a bell); bing; honk (i.e. sound of blowing one's nose); snort; heating in a microwave; cooking in a microwave
deplorable; regrettable; disappointing; vexing; unfortunate
to live; to exist; to make a living; to subsist; to be in effect; to be in use
like everyone else; like most people; like an ordinary person; as much as anyone else
growth period (in children)
inside; within; while (e.g. one is young); during; among; amongst; in (secret, chaos, poverty, etc.)
reserve; constraint; declining; refraining; forethought; foresight
to cook (grains, e.g. rice); to boil; to simmer; to stew
to pamper; to make a fuss of; to spoil; to fawn over
retort; sealed plastic pouch typically containing ready-made sauce or stew; boil-in-the-bag; retort; glass vessel used for distillation (now largely obs.)
economic; financial; economical; thrifty; frugal
sweat; perspiration; moisture; condensation; gulp; oops
warming up (food) in a microwave
-like; pseudo-; comical character who mocks or apes the main character (in Japanese performing arts); (arch.) criticism; (arch.) censure
grand; luxurious; lavish; great; large; big (e.g. storm)
complete; completion; perfection; accomplishment
hmm; well ...; humph; roughly; harshly; violently
still; yet; more; still more; as ...; like ...
indication; sign; hint; tone (of the market)
to ring; to sound; to be popular; to be esteemed; to state; to insist
reverse; opposite; converse (of a hypothesis, etc.); inverse (function)
as a child; when one was a child; childhood
major subject; special study