independently; individually; separately; alone; singlehanded; unassisted
local specialty or souvenir bought as a gift while travelling; present brought by a visitor; something unpleasant that one is given (e.g. an illness while on vacation); unwelcome gift
rude; outspoken; presumptuous; cheeky
obstruction; check; hindrance; prevention; impediment; interdiction
loser; defeated person; the defeated
scrap; piece; fag end; unimportant (person); petty (official); barely (in a role)
fresh troops; fresh players; newcomer; new employee; new method; new way
to distance oneself (from); to keep (something or someone) at a distance; to maintain a distance (from)
eight; eight years of age; two o'clock (old time system)
chattering (teeth); (frozen, worried) stiff; rigid (personality, thinking, etc.); inflexible; voracious (e.g. work, study); without slack or pause
to look away; to avert one's eyes
to hold out (e.g. against an attack); to hang on; to withstand; to endure; to last
to bite at; to snap at; to nibble; to get one's teeth into (metaphorically); to get to grips with; to really get into
very; extremely; like the devil; as a demon
to get tired out; to be exhausted
to extend; to stretch out; to attend; to participate in; to enrol; to enroll
as you were; return to your original position!; er, rather
incomparable; cannot compare (with); beyond comparison; in another league
thickheaded; slow-witted; phlegmatic; slow (of one's movements); sluggish
nonsense; silly talk; drivel; rubbish
to twist; to wrench; to puzzle over; to defeat easily
jump; plunge; dive; appearing without an appointment; bursting in; arriving unannounced
to resonate emotionally (with one); to strike home (words, etc.); (lit.) to stab in the chest
to incline toward; to slant; to lurch; to go down (sun); to wane; to sink
whip; lash; scourge; stick; cane; rod
to flip; to snap; to repel; to use (an abacus); to calculate; to strum
to clear; to make clear; to be unruffled; to look unconcerned; to look demure; to look prim
to be lifted; to be raised; to happen suddenly; to occur; to be homeroom teacher for the same class multiple years in a row; to move up with one's class
merciless; ruthless; pitiless; unfeeling
fairy tale; fairy story; nursery tale
to lose heart; to lose interest; to lose motivation; to become stale (i.e. of a carbonated beverage); to go flat; to lose flavor
bolt from the blue; great surprise
to pitch (e.g. a boat); to force out an opponent
to bewilder; to perplex; to puzzle; to tempt; to seduce
fine weather; fair weather
remains; dregs; vestiges; remnant; residue
the Dragon (fifth sign of the Chinese zodiac); hour of the Dragon (around 8am, 7-9am, or 8-10am); east-southeast; third month of the lunar calendar
novice; beginner; starting to run; running off; running away
studying under; looking up to; apprenticing oneself to
doubt; skepticism; scepticism; disbelief
of late; lately; this part; this point; here