versatility; multiplicity of use
wasted effort; fruitless effort; vain efforts
period of an apprentice's contract (usu. ten years); apprenticeship; indentureship; indenture
long (time); longstanding; for a long time
innate ability; innate talent; natural gift
quickly; briefly; rashly; carelessly; (flowing) in trickles
tough; stubborn; determined; severely; heavily; hard
withdrawal; retraction; revocation; repeal
developing (e.g. industry, town, economy)
(not) at all; (not) in the least; (none) whatsoever
hard to understand; incomprehensible; unintelligible
face with no make-up; unpainted face; true face (of a country, celebrity, etc.); real face; sober face; sobriety
to be hurtful; to resonate emotionally (with one)
obligation; favour; favor; debt of gratitude
to drag down; to pull down; to force out (of power, office, role, etc.)
state ceremony; laborious; troublesome; irksome
to think alike; to get along
to throw; to cast (e.g. vote, light, shadow); to devote oneself (e.g. to a cause); to invest; to put in; to administer (medicine); to give
reform; reformation; reorganization
low dining table; tea table
in accordance with; subordinate to
person requiring special attention; person to be wary of; person under (police) surveillance; dangerous person
net (amount); clear; net weight; net price; cost price; actual content
to drag down; to pull down; to force out (of power, office, role, etc.)
negative emotions; negative feelings
cannot be helped; unavoidable
comeback (e.g. in business); reinstatement; second blooming (in a season); reflowering; reflorescence
saint; wise and virtuous person (esp. in Confucianism); great religious teacher; refined sake
knowing only one thing (and repeating it often); saying the only thing one knows (at every opportunity); repeating the only thing one knows
to nip (something) in the bud
solution (of an equation, inequality, etc.); root (e.g. of a polynomial); solution (to a given problem); answer; explanation; interpretation
to get stuck with (some job); to end up with (something unpleasant)
honestly speaking; in truth; in all honesty; to be frank
power balance; balance of power
clumsiness; awkwardness; ineptitude
secret communication (with the enemy); collusion; betrayal; adultery; (extramarital) affair
to bite at; to snap at; to nibble; to get one's teeth into (metaphorically); to get to grips with; to really get into
bad (feeling, impression, attitude); creepy; disgusting
private talk; confidential talk; secret talk
groundless fear; thinking too much; making too much of
(living) sacrifice; victim; scapegoat