My words

軟骨

なんこつ

cartilage

洞穴

どうけつ ほらあな

cave, den, grotto

好事家

こうずか

dilettante, person of fantastic taste

破談

はだん

cancellation, breaking off (ones engagement)

弁解

べんかい

justification, rationalization, pretext, explanation, exculpation, defence, defense, excuse, apology

癪

しゃく

cause of offense, cause of offence, annoyance, peeve spasms, convulsions, cramps

枷

かせ

shackles, fetters, irons, handcuffs, restraint, constraint bonds (e.g. family), ties, binding relationship, binding relationships, encumbrance

通過儀礼

つうかぎれい

rite of passage

すけこまし

lady-killer, philanderer

採算

さいさん

profit

人相

にんそう

physiognomy, looks, countenance

珍獣

ちんじゅう

rare (or peculiar) animal

曲者

くせもの

ruffian, villain, knave, thief, suspicious fellow peculiar person, idiosyncratic person, stubborn fellow tricky thing, something that is more than it seems expert, master, highly skilled person goblin, apparition, monster, ghost, phantom, spectre, specter

野次馬

やじうま

curious onlookers, rubbernecks

世間体

せけんてい

appearance (in the eyes of society), decency

鼓膜

こまく

eardrum, tympanic membrane Tympanic Membrane

修飾語

しゅうしょくご

modifier

針のむしろ

はりのむしろ

bed of nails, bed of thorns, bed of needles

極刑

きょっけい

capital punishment, extreme penalty, ultimate punishment

治外法権

ちがいほうけん

extraterritoriality

古今東西

ここんとうざい

all times and places, all ages and countries

弁舌

べんぜつ

speech

縁故採用

えんこさいよう

employment of workers through (personal) connections, getting a job through ones personal connection

被告人

ひこくにん

accused, defendant, prisoner at the bar

下位互換

かいごかん

lower compatible

舌戦

ぜっせん

war of words

大引け

おおびけ

closing (a market or trading session) closing price closing session closing finishing

襷

たすき

cord used to tuck up the sleeves of a kimono sash (worn across chest, e.g. by election candidate or relay runners) wrapper band on books, CDs, etc.

頭打ち

あたまうち ずうち

reaching a peak, reaching the limit, plateauing, maxing out leveling off reach a ceiling

武運

ぶうん

the fortunes of war