Vocabulary

to be careful in speech

to cut into (a conversation); to interject

to confess; to speak out; to disclose; to tell

axis of refraction

carefree; free from worry

to arrange (one's) shoes (e.g. in a genkan)

shoe brush

one's home; one's native province

provincial samurai

list of province names

prosperity of a country

national glory

to betray one's country (to an enemy)

to manage a state; to govern a country

fragrant smoke; aromatic smoke

ward finances

to have one's neck wrung

to wrench one's neck

to incline one's head

to hang oneself; to strangle oneself

to wring the neck; to strangle

to get together

sunken (deep-set) eyes

kuma bamboo grass (Sasa veitchii); Veitch's bamboo

dried bear's gallbladder (used in traditional Chinese medicine)

bitter principle; bitter-tasting substance

to make up a party

shadowy past; murky past

to rise in rank

to feel gloomy; to feel blue; to feel melancholy

high-ranking; senior

to affect the cost of living

tattoo (esp. one of a flame-wreathed dragon wrapped around and swallowing the tip of an upright sword); person with a tattoo

merits (influence) of one's pious acts or religious practice

to reel off

to bloom out of season

lame excuse; poor excuse

tight budget

to suffer; to complain of a pain

to be struck by a car