Vocabulary

extortion; blackmail; shakedown

to roll up (sleeves, skirt, etc.); to tuck up; to pull up

flinchingly; falteringly; being overwhelmed

to shrink back; to wince; to flinch; to recoil

faltering; tottering; halting; unsteady; awkward; clumsy

bitterling (any fish of subfamily Acheilognathinae, esp. species Acheilognathus melanogaster)

try to be; want to be

bump (e.g. on forehead); lump; protuberance; swelling

even so; all the same; nevertheless; yes, but ...

while it may be true that; just because; nevertheless; not necessarily

as one would expect from ...; given that ... (naturally ...); because ...; being ...

as one would expect from ...; given that ... (naturally ...); because ...; being ...

uncool; lame; unfashionable; unstylish; tacky; tasteless

goby (fish)

to take by deception; to defraud someone of; to swindle someone out of; to cheat someone out of

to spoil; to break; to go bad; to go wrong; to fail

to be lazy; to be slack; to feel dull; to feel languid; to feel listless

slovenly (appearance, work, etc.); sloppy; untidy; undisciplined; careless; loose

weight-chain-pole weapon; flail

a little bit

(not) at all; (not) a bit; (not) in the least; (not) in the slightest

very small; tiny; insignificant

little by little; bit by bit; sparingly

trueborn; genuine; pure; full-blooded; thoroughbred; out-and-out

shrewdly; smartly; calculatingly; astutely; cunningly

to make a fuss over; to pamper; to spoil; to indulge; to flatter (with attention)

cancelling (a debt); forgiving (a debt); being even

bicycle

bicycle

chankonabe; fish, meat, and vegetable stew traditionally served to wrestlers

fish, meat, and vegetable stew traditionally served to wrestlers

regularly; promptly

padded sleeveless kimono jacket; Japanese vest

sword fight; sword play

samurai movie (with a lot of sword fights)

kiss

often; frequently; now and then; occasionally

toddling; with small, quick steps

meddling; interference; making a pass at someone

a little; for a moment; a short while; just a minute