Vocabulary

eating a lot, drinking a lot, and on top of that, eating mochi

to commit seppuku; to commit harakiri

to do something impossible; to disembowel oneself with a pestle

to do something impossible; to disembowel oneself with a ladle

even accidentally touching sleeves with a passing stranger is caused by fate

in terms of both ... and ...; from the perspective of ... as well as ...; whether it be ... or ...

merchants from Ise and Ōmi do not waste their money (unlike Edoites); robbers from Ōmi, beggars from Ise

(please) marry me

to be mutually dependent

drop in the bucket; drop in the ocean; one grain of millet in a vast ocean

one's term of service expires (e.g. apprenticeship)

to reduce (one's) speed; to slow down (driving, cycling, etc.)

to express sudden recognition and being impressed; to slap one's knee

to have a rumor circulating

clearly; evidently; obviously

Gordian knot

crow's feet (wrinkles)

depending on the way ...; depending on how ...; according to how ...

from long ago; from old times; from time immemorial

rest in peace; requiescat in pace; RIP

to make a blunder; to blunder; to have one's kettle stolen on a moonlit night

people look friendly when they ask for a loan but not so much when they repay it; when borrowing (the money), the face of the (bodhisattva) Kshitigarbha; when returning it, the face of the (hell king) Yama

you can't do something if you don't know how to do it; you can't read a sutra (by heart) if you haven't learned it

he who has never toiled, does not know what it is to enjoy repose

to go from (using, etc.) something bad to something good; to change (from riding) a cow to (riding) a horse

being ignorant of the ways of the world; knowing nothing; not being able to tell if a yam is boiled or not

one should do more than what is literally being asked for; when told (to bring) the chisel, (also bring) the mallet

doing something without having decided what one's goal for it is; a rifle in the dark

to sink (into one's seat, etc.)

visions of glory; evanescent glory

hour of the Rabbit (around 6am, 5-7am, or 6-8am); hour of the Hare

hour of the Snake (around 10am, 9-11am, or 10am-12 noon); hour of the Serpent

hour of the Horse (around noon, 11am-1pm, or 12 noon-2pm)

hour of the Sheep (around 2pm, 1-3pm, or 2-4pm)

hour of the Monkey (around 4pm, 3-5pm, or 4-6pm)

hour of the Rooster (around 6pm, 5-7pm, or 6-8pm); hour of the Cock

hour of the Dog (around 8pm, 7-9pm, or 8-10pm)

new normal

the ambition of the lazy does not last

narrow victory