insufficiency; deficiency; shortage; dissatisfaction; discontent; complaint
retrogression; reversal; relapse; doubling back; backtracking
to defend against; to protect against; to prevent; to avert; to avoid
popular use; circulation; to pass as; to pass for
plain; simple; reserved (behaviour, attitude, etc.); modest; quite; a (little) bit
to be wounded; to get injured; to get hurt feelings; to get damaged; to get chipped
face; honour; meld; lineup (of players participating in a mahjong game); attendees (e.g. at a meeting); members
saying something (to someone); greeting; approaching (someone)
whether or not (in phrases like "I don't know whether or not I can come")
occasionally; once in a while; seldom; casually; unexpectedly; accidentally
personnel; members; lineup (of a team); announcement of next day's match-ups
some people; a few people; several people
essential; important; crucial; vital; main
appeal; call for something; request; axiom
stage; step; level; rank; order; stairs
to take something into ...; to bring in; to lodge (a complaint); to file (a plan); to bring to (a state: tied game, vote, trial, etc.)
outline; main points; generally; on the whole; general; rough
(real) ability; true strength; merit; arms; force
learning by ear; memory of having heard something before
back; rear; background; behind the scenes
silver hair; gray hair; grey hair
cannot (do); it is impossible that...; it is (highly) unlikely that...
funny; amusing; strange; odd; improper; unsuitable
as expected; sure enough; after all (is said and done); in the end; too; also
to hold a thing in one's arms; to carry in one's arms; to embrace (e.g. a baby); to take upon oneself; to be saddled with
being excluded; being ignored; being kept in the dark (about); being kept out of the loop; (lit.) outside the mosquito net
to try and do something; to attempt to do something
to scold; to chide; to rebuke; to reprimand
tone (of voice); manner of talking
to glare at; to scowl at; to stare intensely at; to examine carefully; to estimate; to guess
entry (on stage); appearance (on screen); entrance; introduction (into a market)
to succeed; to relieve; to take the place of; to substitute for; to be exchanged; to change (places with)
preface; introduction; preamble
daughter; girl (i.e. a young, unmarried woman)
to chase; to run after; to pursue
to turn back; to go back; to come back; to return; to retrace one's steps
to push someone (towards); to encourage someone
extra; more; unnecessary; needless; all the more; even more
perfect; complete; flawless
other people's affairs; somebody else's problem
to roughen (e.g. one's attitude); to raise (one's voice)
to keep away; to keep at a distance