coal mine; (coal) pit; colliery; coal-mine shaft
stealing a march on; getting a head start; secretly acting before others; solo raid on an enemy's camp (for glory)
piece (scrap, bit, strip) of paper
counter for thin, flat objects (e.g. sheets of paper, plates, coins); counter for portions of gyōza or soba; counter for ranks; counter for wrestlers of a particular rank; counter for fields or rice paddies; counter for palanquin bearers
newspaper; paper; counter for newspapers
(common) soldier; rank and file; army; troops; warfare; strategy
to set up (a house, store, etc.); to build; to have at the ready (e.g. a gun); to hold in preparation (e.g. a camera); to adopt a posture; to assume a stance; to put on an air
will (to do something); drive; motivation; enthusiasm; eagerness
to take the form (of); to assume a shape
brightness; brilliance; brilliancy; radiance; glitter
doll; puppet; marionette; puppet (person under the control of another); straw man; yes-man
to surround; to encircle; to besiege; to lay siege to; to play (go, shogi, etc.)
sword (esp. a large, double-edged one); blade; bayonet; swordsmanship; stinger; ovipositor
to swing downward; to bring down (one's sword, fist, etc.)
to put one's strength into
to mow down; to cut down; to slash (horizontally); to make a clean sweep; to sweep away; to brush away
abdomen; belly; womb; one's mind; one's real intentions; courage; nerve
in an instant; in a flash; in the blink of an eye; in no time at all; just like that
still; much more; (not) yet; still a long way to go; still a long way off; not there yet
fingertip; finger; toe tip; toe
strange; odd; peculiar; queer; curious
(physical) form; shape; visage; (facial) features; form (as opposed to substance); manner (of action); (resultant) state
to bend; to wind; to twist; to zig-zag
to rise; to get up; to stand up; to sit up
to hold (in one's hand); to take (into one's hand); to own; to obtain
increasingly; more and more; decreasingly; less and less
cutting to pieces; tearing to pieces
to use to the full (one's voice, energy, etc.); to muster all of (one's strength, courage, etc.); to summon all of; to exert fully; to strain (one's voice)
as if; as though; (not) at all; (not) in the slightest; really; completely
boxer (fighter); boxer (dog breed)
stage (of a theatre, concert hall, etc.); stage performance; stage production; setting (of a story); scene; sphere (of activity)
to catch sight of; to come into view; to happen to see
stealthily; secretly; in secret
before one knows; before one becomes aware of; unnoticed; unawares
shopping district; shopping street; downtown
wow!; oh!; yeah!; alright!; waah!; boohoo!
to threaten; to menace; to intimidate; to startle; to frighten; to scare
right arm; right-hand man; right hand; right-handed pitcher
this is not the time (for that); that's out of the question right now
to dance (orig. a whirling dance); to whirl (in the wind); to flutter (about); to swirl
to detain; to check; to restrain; to stop
damn it; damn; beast; animal; person reborn into the animal realm; brute
to hang down (from); to dangle; to be within one's reach; to dangle (before one's eyes); to be completely reliant on; to be entirely dependent on