fleeting; transient; short-lived; empty (dream, etc.); mere (hope); faint (possibility)
absolutely; definitely; unconditionally
pitch-dark; pitch-black; completely dark; very bleak (future); utterly hopeless
shrewdly; smartly; calculatingly; astutely; cunningly
condition; state (of health); appearance
deterioration; getting worse; worsening; aggravation; degeneration; corruption
unable to leave the work at hand; right in the middle of something; tied up; busy
prosperous; flourishing; popular; widespread; active; lively
to use abusive language; to curse; to call someone names
to persevere; to keep at something (regardless of one's fatigue)
to fall over; to fall down; to fall; to flop (e.g. of a play); to be a flop
unsparingly; without listening to the other party; without giving the other party a chance to explain
criticism; blame; censure; attack; reproach
to read and understand; to take in; to sense from external cues; to read (someone's) mind; to read (calibration, tape, etc.); to scan (bar code)
off the top of one's head; from thin air; from memory
rhyme; rhyme (of a Chinese character); rime
way of reciting; way of telling a story
present age; present day; contemporary; modern era; modern times; contemporary era
to move (something) to another location; to change the position of; to rearrange; to replace; to exchange; to switch
to end without incident; to not turn into something serious
ominous; sinister; unlucky; inauspicious
reason; circumstances; grounds; because of; due to; as a result of
slapping; splashing; splatting; banging shut; flat (refusal, denial, etc.)
source (of a river); fountainhead; source; origin; root
small; little; slightly less than; just about; somewhat; somehow
whole nation; whole land; whole country
Qing dynasty (of China; 1644-1912); Ch'ing dynasty; Manchu dynasty
rope; cord; line; grand champion's braided belt
at; in; at; when; by; with
to heal; to cure; to satisfy (e.g. hunger, thirst); to alleviate (e.g. sorrow, fatigue)
boundless; infinite; vast
dwelling; house; home; den (of criminals, demons, etc.); nest
from ancient times; from old times; from time immemorial
(incoming) attack; raid; invasion; assault
nevertheless; even then; however; be that as it may; even so; though that it be so
source of river; fountainhead
mist over a body of water; spray; suien; four decorative metal plates joined at right angles forming part of a pagoda finial
to rub; to chafe; to wear out; to become worn; to lose one's innocence; to become sly
but; however; even though; even if
must; should; will (surely); be bound to; will (do); shall
powerlessness; helplessness; incompetence; ineffectiveness
what the hell; oh, great!; son of a gun; holy mackerel; oh no!; holy cow!