Vocabulary

Homage to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha)

waiting for one hundred years for the waters of the Yellow River to clear; waiting in vain for an unlikely event; waiting for pigs to fly; when the sky falls, we shall catch larks

even a fool may sometimes give good counsel

riches and honors are as fleeting as floating clouds; fortune and fame are here today, gone tomorrow

the principle of fluidity and immutability in haiku; haiku is both fluid and transitory, and eternal and immutable; an interchange between the transient and the immutable is central to the soul of haiku

matter and mind are one; body and mind as one

beautiful eyes; bright-eyed; there being a sublime charm about one's eyes

refraining from offering the (New Year's) greetings during the period of mourning

all those interested (in the matter); all those willing; (from) all of us; (from) everyone concerned

be careful not to invite the least suspicion; leave no room for scandal

I am content with what I am (have); rich is the person who is content with what he is

jokingly; in the form of a joke

here and there; around and about

to compete ruthlessly; to sharpen swords

hear! hear!; hooray

eat shit!; fuck off!; fuck you!

to make progress; to develop; to evolve (method, style, etc.)

to declaim; to string together all sorts of flowery words

muffled voice

to be told or made to hear something so often that you (metaphorically) get calluses on your ears

to be ready to cry; to be on the point of tears

to bow one's head; to hang one's head

patient; having a long fuse

to lose one's presence of mind; to lose one's head; to be thrown off balance; to get upset; to be bewildered; to be flustered

bad-tempered; aggressive; quarrelsome

hasty; rash; impatient; restless; quick (to draw conclusions, make decisions, etc.)

young at heart

good-natured

to feel like; to feel inclined to do

reluctant to; not inclined to; disinclined; unwilling

to get distracted; to jump off the track

feeling uneasy; very worried; very anxious; on tenterhooks; on pins and needles

to faint; to lose consciousness

as soon as possible; ASAP

no matter how you put it; whatever the circumstances may be; say what you like; no matter how you look at it

peremptorily; willy-nilly; forcibly

scheming; malicious; wicked; blackhearted

(please ...) after checking; after verification

to attract someone's attention; to arouse someone's interest

to do in earnest; to concentrate on; to apply one's mind to