to compare (something) to; to liken; to speak figuratively; to use a simile; to use a metaphor
management; (executive) staff; leaders; leadership; top brass; upper echelons
opening (in a game of go, chess, etc.); early stages; initial phase; outset
drawn-out (protracted) war or contest
to adopt (a method, proposal, etc.); to take (a measure, course of action, etc.); to pick (e.g. flowers); to gather (e.g. mushrooms); to extract (e.g. juice); to take (e.g. a sample); to assume (an attitude)
to pause; to have a short intermission
how about ...?; I wonder; I don't know
until something reaches the very limit; until the very last minute; up to the breaking point
survival; remaining; being extant; being left
(in) the middle of; (in) the midst of; (in) the course of; (at) the height of
dispatch; despatch; deployment; temporary employee (esp. from an agency); temporary worker; agency temp
now (esp. in contrast to the past); now at last; at present; right now
defense; defence; protection
to choose; to select; to pick (out)
even at the best of times; already; (even) under normal circumstances; in addition to; as it is
main force; main strength; main effort; primary focus
to chip; to nick; to break; to lack
(complete) destruction; annihilation; devastation
revamping; reshaping; rearranging; reorganizing
person killed in action; the war dead
what proportion; what percentage
to spoil; to rot; to corrode
three countries; Three Kingdoms (in China, 220 CE-280 CE); Three Kingdoms (in Korea, 57 BCE-668 CE); (arch.) Japan, China and India; (arch.) Japan, Korea and China
to be main; to be principal; to be important
severe wound; serious wound; gash
assignment (of a person to somewhere); attachment (of a person to another unit, organization, etc.)
reserve; spare; preparation; preliminaries
exactly; precisely; just; just (like); as if; as though
flag; boolean value; something that foreshadows a future event or outcome (in a film, novel, etc.)
footprints; record of page visitors (e.g. in social networking sites)
bipedal walking; walking on two legs
to put on (lower-body clothing, e.g. pants, skirt, footwear); to wear; to affix (a sword to one's hip); (arch.) to affix (a bowstring to a bow)
plural; multiple; plural (number)
earth; soil; the earth (historically, esp. as opposed to the heavens); the ground; low-quality torinoko-gami (containing mud); (period of) refraining from construction in the direction of the god of the earth (in Onmyōdō)
vigilance; caution; alertness; precaution; being on guard
thicket; bush; grove; (medical) quack
to drink; to swallow; to smoke (tobacco); to swallow up; to engulf; to suppress (one's anger, bitter feelings, etc.); to keep down
20 years old; (arch.) twenty