Vocabulary

good thing

divine move; perfect play

to treat as a joke; to do jokingly

to cremate (a body)

stones with an eye kill stones without an eye

six degrees of separation (hypothesis)

according to law; in the eye of the law

despite bad weather; in spite of poor conditions

to recover (one's) costs; to break even

to shed tears

to reveal the limitations; to show the true level; to be seen for what it really is

state of selflessness; state of no-self; egoless state

overgeneralizing (statement, assumption, etc.); overly broad; broad-brush; sweeping

how are you?

next to nothing; essentially nonexistent; virtually nil

with imperfections (of a secondhand item, etc.); damaged

to be of a different rank; to be in a different class; to be on a different level; to be in a different league

leave it to me; count on me

to discriminate (between targets, victims, etc.); to pick one's battles; to choose one's partner or opponent

so near, yet so far; ploughing the field and forgetting the seed; making a Buddha statue but not putting a soul in it

to return; to come home; to go home

getting two pleasures from one thing; two benefits for the price of one; having one's cake and eating it too; delicious in two ways at once

good weather never lasts for three days in spring

meanwhile; at the same time

to break mucus (from one's throat); to clear one's throat

kind of there, kind of not; hard to tell whether it exists or not; sort of, but not really

(in the) palm of someone's hand; (under) someone's complete control; (at) someone's mercy

to manipulate at will; to control however one pleases; to do as one wishes

spirit of harmony; the Japanese spirit

(being so overjoyed that) one cannot help but dance; unable to contain one's excitement; jumping for joy

rather eccentric; more than a little unconventional; quite out of the ordinary

very eccentric; thoroughly unconventional; quite out of the ordinary

nice to meet you; pleased to make your acquaintance

it is shameful to reject the advances of a woman; shameful is he who spurns a woman's invitation; not eating the meal set before him is a man's shame

to treasure (something) as a heirloom; to cherish forever

okey-dokey

consider yourself praised; you are hereby commended

light at the end of the tunnel

fortune follows the virtuous, calamity befalls the wicked; heaven rewards the good and punishes the evil

sure buddy; nice try; surely not