mouse; rat; dark gray; slate gray
low; vulgar; base; ignoble; mean; selfish
to know shame; to have a sense of shame; to be ashamed
secrecy; highly classified information
to overhear; to hear (secondhand); to hear on the grapevine; to know by hearsay
ignorant; unenlightened; uncivilized; uncivilised
to be furnished with; to be provided with; to be possessed of; to be endowed with; to be among; to be one of
to show through; to be hinted at; to peek through; to shine through
capital; funds; seed money; asset
wearing (an insignia, sword, etc.)
scabbard; sheath; cap (on a brush, pen, etc.); case; margin (between two prices); spread
tingling; stinging; pungently
(unpleasant) state of affairs; predicament; mess
to allot; to assign; to give; to provide; to fit to; to fasten to
to underrate; to make light of
judgment; judgement; decision; verdict
for better or worse; for good and bad; regardless of merit; both good and bad
refutation; rebuttal; retort
with a whiff; with a puff; suddenly; abruptly; without warning
oppression; suppression; pressure
to be broad-minded enough to associate with various types of people; to possess a capacious mind
looks (esp. of a woman); features; ability; capability; (public) estimation (esp. of a man); credit
good and evil; purity and impurity; voiced and unvoiced consonants
twilight (traditionally regarded as a time when accidents and disasters are frequent)
to mark the end; to spell the end
to pass; to pass on; to give (something) a miss; to cut it out; to knock off (for the day); to let the matter drop
end (e.g. of street); tip; beginning; start; odds and ends; scrap
low spirits; depression; dejection; discouragement; despondency
mere shadow of one's former self; having no trace left (of former glories, talent, looks, etc.); unrecognizable (as the person one used to be); unrecognisable
haggardness; emaciation; wasting away; being tired out; being worn out; exhaustion
to lend someone one's shoulder; to support with one's shoulder; to help carry a load; to lend a hand; to come to someone's aid
the Rooster (tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac); the Cock; hour of the Rooster (around 6pm, 5-7pm, or 6-8pm); west; eight month of the lunar calendar
to resound (echo) far and wide
sons and daughters; children; girl
rearing from infancy; training from an early age (e.g. an apprentice); teaching from an early stage (e.g. a subordinate)
charge; duty; person in charge; connection; linking