drainage basin; catchment basin; river basin; watershed; valley
vague; obscure; indistinct; hazy; ambiguous
theme; topic; subject matter; motif; project; slogan
chance; start; cue; excuse; motive; impetus
to spout out; to spurt out; to sprout; to bud; to burst into laughter; to blow (smoke, etc.)
serious; honest; sober; grave; earnest; steady
to be discouraged; to shrink from
tenacious; persevering; persistent; sticky
to laugh (something) off; to dismiss with a laugh; to pooh-pooh
half in doubt; half-convinced; dubious; incredulous
to go too far; to go to excess; to carry too far
when it comes to ...; where ... is concerned; if it's the case that ...; if it turns out that ...; if it's true that ...
vague; ambiguous; shady; disreputable; fuzzy
triumphant (over a mediocre achievement); boastful; (lit.) as if one had grabbed a demon by the neck
to get angry; to get mad; to tell someone off; to scold; to be angular; to be square
to shoulder; to carry on one's shoulder; to nominate for a position; to choose as a representative; to take (someone) for a ride; to deceive
passion; enthusiasm; zeal
foot (of a mountain or hill); bottom; base
to come near; to approach; to be on the verge of; to be about to; to overhang; to hang over
cave; tunnel; tunnel tomb (Kofun period)
(move) slowly (e.g. walk); sluggishly; stolidly; ploddingly; heavily
defeating an argument; winning an argument; refutation; confutation
gap; space; break; interlude; chink (in one's armor, armour); chance
how about ...?; I wonder; I don't know
to swell (out); to expand; to be inflated; to get cross; to get sulky; to pout
stage; step; level; rank; order; stairs
explosion; rupture; break off
thrust; charge; digging into (a matter); depth; straight man (of a comedy duo); quip; jab
railway switchback; twisting backward knee trip
erratic; offbeat; wild; extraordinary
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it; I mean
fantastic; bizarre; incredible; unbelievable
to spread; to propagate; to popularize; to broaden; to extend; to widen
being lost for words; becoming speechless; jueju (Chinese quatrain with lines of either five or seven syllables)
to be foolish; to be stupid; to be ridiculous
truth; reality; truly; really; absolute truth
to beat; to gain a point; to upset
mountain god; one's wife (esp. a nagging wife); roughskin sculpin (Trachidermus fasciatus)
errand; mission; messenger; bearer; familiar spirit
to threaten; to menace; to frighten (into doing)
to swell; to expand; to inflate; to bulge
custom; practice; said; aforementioned; instance; example