to live (of humans); to reside; to inhabit; to dwell; to abide
bet; wager; stake; gamble
to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse
good feeling; feeling good
downward adjustment; downward revision
now that you say that; now that you mention it
from long ago; from old times; from time immemorial
to rise (suddenly) in the world (to a higher position)
Minister of Justice (Zhou-dynasty China)
post; official position; managerial position; executive position
monopoly; monopolization; exclusivity; hogging; keeping to oneself
distinguished family; noted family; family status in the Imperial Court; master (of a craft); expert
disagreeable; unpleasant; adverse; unsympathetic
control; management; supervision
general; universal; ordinary; average; (arch.) the same; (arch.) no different
able; capable; competent; talented; efficient
to incur someone's enmity
malicious gossip; backbiting; speaking ill behind someone's back
open; public; official; overt
desolate (e.g. plains); ruined
struggle (for); scramble; contest
bloody; gory; covered in copious amounts of blood; desperate; frantic
troubled times; turbulent times
expansion; extension; elongation; stretching
major powers of the world; great powers
downfall; ruin; collapse; destruction
to be degraded; to come down in the world; to lose status; to be ruined; to fall low
handful; small amount; small number
vagrancy; wandering; nomadism
to search for; to seek for; to look for
large bird; peng (in Chinese mythology, giant bird said to transform from a fish); fenghuang (Chinese phoenix)
launching out; embarking upon (a career)
plan; trick; plot; stratagem; scheme; trap
diplomacy; selling (e.g. door-to-door); canvassing
affiliated with; under jurisdiction of; under the umbrella
all sorts of; various; miscellaneous; motley
ability; capability; skill
fierce (fight, competition, etc.); severe; hot; hard; bitter; keen
not just once; more than once; many times; again and again
inferiority (e.g. numerical); inferior position; disadvantage; unfavorable situation; unfavourable situation