Vocabulary

to command a view; to look out over (onto, across, etc.); to overlook

to misjudge; to mistake; to misread

modesty; humility; being humble

from the beginning; from the first; all along; originally

New Year's Day; first day of the year

field; plain; prairie; tundra; moor; wilderness

to appear; to come in sight; to become visible; to come out; to embody; to materialize

realistic; pragmatic

to express (in words)

to tell (to do); to order; to direct; to instruct

proverb; saying; aphorism; maxim

counter for (small) things or pieces

individual; distinctive; unique; characteristic; personal; idiosyncratic

secondhand bookshop; secondhand bookstore; secondhand bookseller

to call out to; to hail; to address

sitting cross-legged

walnut (Juglans spp., esp. Juglans regia)

sesame seeds

pepper

to step over; to step across; to stride over; to stride across; to cross

May

5th day of the month

alternate; alternation

in the morning; during the morning

later; afterwards

acquired (e.g. characteristic); learned (e.g. behaviour)

honorific/polite/humble prefix

thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...

thankfully; fortunately; luckily; by God's grace; under the gods' shadow

cooperation; collaboration; help; support

your company; your company (spoken)

your husband; her husband

meddling; meddlesomeness; nosiness; interference; officiousness

osechi; osechi-ryōri; traditional food eaten during the New Year's holidays

thank you (for the meal); that was a delicious meal

... and Company; Messrs; for the attention of ...

mid-year gift; summer gift

change (for a purchase)

not writing or contacting for a while; neglecting (failing) to write (call, visit, etc.); long silence

I'm sorry; my apologies; excuse me; pardon me