Today’s Japanese: karuishi
軽石 [かる・いし] – pumice stone. Literally “light rock.”

Today’s Japanese: datsubou
脱帽 [だつぼう] – to remove one’s hat This phrase seems to be a case of East copying West. (Or vice-versa. I’m not really sure which.) Not only does it literally mean remove [脱] hat [帽], the phrase 脱帽です means “my hat’s off to you” in the same sense that we use it in American English (I can’t speak for the UK).

Today’s Japanese: meian
明暗 [めいあん] – light and darkness; light and shade Made up of the characters for bright and dark, 明暗 indicates a contrast. Examples: 明暗差 [めいあんさ] contrast (i.e. TV or photos) 明暗 [めいあん] を区別 [くべつ] する – to distinguish between light and dark

Today’s Japanese: ryouritsu
両立 [りょうりつ] – compatibility, coexistence

Today’s Japanese: jibyou
持病 [じびょう] – chronic disease This compound is made up of the characters 持 [ジ・もつ - to hold/have] and 病 [ビョウ・やむ - illness/to be sick]. Makes sense, eh?