sword skills; swordsmanship
hooting; jeering; heckling
the situation reverses itself; the table is turned; the shoe is on the other foot
speaking of ...; as for ...
nothing new; same as always; an old story; nothing new about it; not the first time it has happened
one's specialty; one's forte; specialty of a kabuki school
to kill (a human) using a blade (sword, machete, knife, etc.); to slice (off); to lop (off); to cut (off)
to knock down; to shoot down; to lop off
to draw an arc (e.g. with a compass); to describe an arc (e.g. through the air); to form an arc
just what you'd expect from ...; that's just like (him, her, etc.); that's (exactly) why ...; that's (precisely) the reason ...
all one's strength; desperate effort; (lit.) strength one has when ready to die
guardians; parents; father and older brother
important matter (for discussion)
superficially polite but actually rude; rude under a veneer of politeness; courteous on the surface but insolent at heart
to take more time than expected; to take a long time; to be delayed
winding; meandering; wriggling; wiggling; waving; swaying
oscillation; vibration; swing (e.g. of a pendulum)
big snake; (large) serpent
extinction; extinguishment; disappearance; annihilation
seeing for the first time; first sight; first meeting; sight-reading
free (of restraint, controls, etc.); free (of charge); freelance; independent; freelancer; one-size-fits-all; free skating
with a view to marriage; with marriage in mind
how-to (book); self-help book
must-read; required reading
energy conservation; economical use of energy
to hide; to conceal; to lower volume (of a sound or one's voice) so as not to be heard; to become quiet and inconspicuous
halving; dividing (into two parts); bisection; the two equinoxes (vernal and autumnal)
close call; narrow escape; hair's breadth; narrowly; just in time; by a hair's breadth
to the extent possible; as much as possible; as far as possible; whenever possible; wherever possible; if (at all) possible
three sides; small offering stand
to hack; to chop (firewood, meat, etc.); to chop off (e.g. a head)
(terrorist) suicide bombing
imitation; fake; phony; pseudo-
to yield; to give in; to bend (knee, etc.); to subdue; to overpower; (arch.) to feel down
starting line (in a race); start line; starting point
knowing how to swim with the tide; being good at dealing with things