soon; before long; slowly; quietly; already; about time
to pull up; to drag up; to increase; to raise (e.g. taxes); to withdraw; to leave; to promote (someone to a higher position)
near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon
standing by; awaiting an opportunity; being on alert; quarantine
seems; I think; I guess; right?; don't you agree?
reflection; reconsideration; introspection; regret; repentance; remorse
to save; to rescue; to help; to assist; to support (financially); to contribute (to)
please (give me); please (do for me)
(not) ever; (not) by any means; (not) in the least; (not) in any way; (not) at all
suspicious; dubious; doubtful; unsure; untrustworthy; unreliable; strange
sky; the air; weather; far-off place; distant place; state of mind; feeling
boundary; border; limit; bounds; frontier
pitch-dark; pitch-black; completely dark; very bleak (future); utterly hopeless
the ocean; the great deep
wrapping (something) in a bamboo mat; wrapping someone in a bamboo mat and throwing them into a river (unofficial Edo-period punishment)
to drift; to float; to waft (e.g. a scent); to hang in the air; to be in the air (e.g. a feeling or mood); to wander; to walk around aimlessly
yikes; oops; eep; wow; aargh
progress; advance; improvement; development
war; fighting; fierce competition
withdrawal; secession; separation; breakaway
to start; to begin; to start up (a business, society, etc.); to open (e.g. a store); to start ...; to begin to ...
to try to ...; to be about to do ...; to decide to ...; to take as; to treat as; to use for; to suppose that (such) is the case
(approximate) time; around; suitable time (or condition); time of year; season
trade; business; commerce; occupation; calling; profession
to be caught in; to be stuck in; to stop by; to drop in for a short visit; to get mixed up in (trouble); to get entangled in (a problem); to fall for (a trick)
seeming ...; appearing ...; -ish; like a ...; typical of ...
by chance; by accident; accidentally; occasionally; once in a while; now and then
to get on (train, plane, bus, ship, etc.); to get in; to get on (e.g. a footstool); to step on; to reach; to go over; to follow
at that time; in those days
gentle spring rain; glass noodles; cellophane noodles; thin noodles made from bean starch (or potato starch)
to follow; to come after; to come next (to); to rank next (to); to rank second (to)
influence; power; might; influence (of stones)
to boast of; to be proud of; to take pride in
mainly; primarily; mostly; largely; chiefly
human trafficking; slave trade
advantage; benefit; profit; interest
to be (animate); to be; to be ...-ing; to have ...-ed; to be ...-ed; to (have the audacity to) do
to kidnap (esp. by force or deception); to abduct; to snatch
to sell; to betray; to sell out (one's friend, country, etc.); to make (oneself) known; to establish (a reputation) for oneself; to pick (a fight, quarrel, etc.)
there (place relatively near listener); there (place just mentioned); that place; then (of some incident just spoken of); that (of point just raised); (arch.) you
strange; weird; wonder; mystery; cleverness; adroitness