next (year, spring, etc.); coming; since (e.g. last month); for (e.g. 20 years)
pillar; post; support; prop; counter for buddhas, gods, nobles, etc.
preeminence; excellence; superiority; transcendence
understanding; comprehension; grasp; perception; appreciation; mastery (of an art or skill)
casualties; the killed and wounded
spreading around (news, etc.); talking about widely; noising about; circulating
upper level; upper grade; high rank; advanced level; senior level; upper class
bogging down; dragging on; turning into a quagmire; becoming mired in a mess
other party; opposite party; opposing team; one's opponent; one's adversary
strict crackdown on and elimination of misconduct; strict enforcement of discipline
to spur (on); to expedite; to encourage
vicious circle; vicious cycle
top recommendation; something highly recommended
push; pushing; weight; pressure; authority; forcefulness
to incline toward; to slant; to go down (sun, moon); to sink; to decline; to wane
half; semi-; half-past; odd number; (arch.) han (unit of land area, approx. 595.8 m^2)
strange; odd; peculiar; queer; curious
spine; backbone; spinal column
to trample down; to tread on; to ignore; to spurn
partly burned charcoal; cinders; charred remains; (arch.) servant boy at a brothel or teahouse
finish; finishing; finishing touches
to have one's attention caught (by); to be distracted (by); to be preoccupied (with); to be captivated (by); to be absorbed (in)
to all come in (e.g. teeth); to all come out (e.g. seedlings, flowers)
curved sword (e.g. a scimitar, shamshir, etc.); curved blade
to slide; to glide; to slip; to skid; to be slippery; to fail (an examination); to lose (a position)
to give off sparks; to spark; to have a heated argument; to fight fiercely
to warm (e.g. one's hands over a fire); to dry; to toast; to grill; to broil
similar but different; alike only in appearance; falsely similar; spurious; sham; pseudo-
rating; ranking; grading; classification
torrent; rapid stream; violently rushing stream
to be led by; to be headed by
conscription; (military) draft; (compulsory) enlistment
bride; (one's) daughter-in-law; wife
to deep-fry; to make deep-fried food; to launch (fireworks, etc.); to hoist (e.g. a flag); to summon (for geishas, etc.); to call in
to collect (debts); to dun; to appoint; to promote; to emphasize; to focus on
line; stripe; line (e.g. telephone line); wire; ray (e.g. X-ray); beam; line (e.g. of a railroad)
to do oneself; to do by oneself; to start work (on); to commence
to threaten; to menace; to frighten (into doing)
underling; person of low standing; grunt; petty (work, official, etc.); minor; lowly