side (of the torso); flank; illegitimate child; child born by someone other than one's wife
stinging (pain); smarting; tingling
differentiation; differential; derivative
to get carried away; to get overly elated; to become over-excited; to get up to speed; to move into gear
equality (esp. of status); equal footing; equal terms
relations; members of extended family
whole nation; whole land; whole country
to go on the defensive; to play it safe
plan to overcome an obstacle or break out of a deadlock; breakthrough solution
chief; main; principal; major
good flavor (flavour); good taste; umami (fifth category of taste in food); skill; cleverness; profit
to drop; to lose; to clean off (dirt, makeup, paint, etc.); to remove (e.g. stains or facial hair); to lose (a match); to reject (an applicant); to lower (e.g. shoulders or voice)
in history; ever; historical
to take advantage of; to follow blindly; to multiply
one's own potential; real ability; one's own strength
tomfoolery; foolish act; nonsense; fool; idiot
common sense; common knowledge; common understanding
to strengthen; to beef up; to put on a firm basis; to ensure; to secure
tacit understanding; unspoken agreement
breakwater; mole; seawall; bulwark; shield (e.g. against critcism); protective barrier
average; medium; mid-grade (item); regular grade; same level as; equal to
slowly; inefficiently; tardily; dawdling
taking a quantity (of time, people, etc.); similar to ...; dependent on ...; reliant on ...; while ...; when ...
(all) important positions; every strategic point; each key post; (all) important parts; every important point
fortress; stronghold; citadel
remote region; outlying district; border district; frontier
mounted bandit (esp. in north-east China from the end of the Qing dynasty)
national defence; national defense
city planning; urban planning; town planning
protective wall; defensive wall; barrier; bulwark
to grant (request, wish); to answer (prayer); to make come true (e.g. a dream); to realize; to fulfill
how to use; method for using; way of using
main topic; main subject; main issue; this subject
to twinkle (e.g. stars); to flicker; to waver; to blink (one's eyes); to wink; to bat
circumstances; sequence of events; how things got this way; details; particulars
plentiful; abundant; definitely extant
to recommend (someone to do); to advise; to recommend (a book, someone for a position, etc.); to suggest; to offer (a drink, cigarette, seat, etc.)
shaking; jolting; shaking up (e.g. one's adversary); flustering (someone)
ringleader; mastermind; leader (of a plot)
(verbal) abuse; denunciation; disparagement; vilification; scathing criticism
encouragement; inspiration; rousing; stirring up; raising (e.g. morale)
bad reputation; poor reception; unpopularity; disrepute
to fall into someone's hands; to pass into another's possession
secret passage; underground passage; loophole; hole one can go through; opening