difference in grades (e.g. in go, shoji, etc.); difference in level (e.g. road, footpath); ramp; steps
regular customer; general audience; general public
actual state (of things); real state; live; on-the-scene; reporting live; live coverage
office worker; company employee; company man; salaryman (stereotypical Japanese office worker)
one's nature; one's destiny; custom; tradition; habit
megaphone; bullhorn; loudhailer
event; festivities; function; social gathering; auspices; opening
upstart; parvenu; jumped-up person
sparse; thin; scattered; straggling; sporadic
preliminary contest; qualifying round; trial; heat; primary
raising the curtain; opening (of an event); start of a season
division into groups; separation into classes (e.g. of schoolchildren according to ability)
(stage) appearance; performance; participation (e.g. in a tournament)
peers; friends; fellow workers; comrades
to join forces with; to cooperate with
peerless; unparalleled; unparallelled; mowing down the enemy
frequent; continual; constant; great; intense; strong
opening performance; opening act; curtain raiser; minor performer; minor storyteller; subordinate part
highlight (scene); high point; climax; show-off scene (of an actor in a play)
(the two persons' sides) being evenly matched in ability
putting an end to; bringing to a close; person who opens and closes the curtains (in a theatre)
being struck by lightning; torpedo attack
right arm; right-hand man; right hand; right-handed pitcher
decider; person who decides; deciding factor; clincher; trump card
to turn away; to bear off; to veer away; to deviate (e.g. of a conversation); to digress; to go astray
to win through (e.g. to the next round); to win game after game; to achieve a final victory; to fight to the end and win; to come out on top
to put on weight; to gain weight; to grow fat; to get stout
to force someone to clamp with their teeth; to force into someone's mouth (e.g. a gag); to wedge into a space; to inflict (a blow); to deal (a hit); to pull (a joke)