Vocabulary

voucher; documentary evidence of a transaction

government departments; ministries and agencies

specialist journal; specialized magazine; specialised magazine

first come, first served; the early bird catches the worm

no sooner ... than ...; hardly ... when ...; as soon as ...

the minute (that) ...; no sooner than ...; as soon as

grommet

while; on the same occasion; at the same time; along with

ten-thousand yen note

binding particle (e.g. "ha", "mo", "koso", "shika"); linking particle; connecting particle

brother-in-law

touring (of a theatrical company, entertainer, etc.); being on the road; road show

cannot; must not

I would rather; I would as lief do; strong preference

better than nothing; better than none at all

pumice

pumice stone

carefully; with (great) care; with caution

kunrei-shiki romanization (government-authorized system of romanizing Japanese); kunrei system

obvious; transparent

English proficiency examination; English proficiency test

English proficiency test (esp. the STEP test)

to google; to do an online search (for)

to neglect

to commit an act (or acts) of terrorism

to engage in lesbian sexual activity; to lez out

to become one tile away from completion

to smoke (tobacco)

check it out; take a look

to take a picture with a Cheki camera

to go to a Seven-Eleven

papier-mâché

to act suspiciously; to behave in a strange way

gold-inlaid lacquerware (using powdered gold in etched grooves)

gold-inlaid lacquerware

tenpai; fishing (i.e. needing one more tile for completion)

to fit in (snugly); to get stuck in; to get caught in; to get bogged down in

discretionary work (labour, labor)

flexible work hours; flexi-time

slave