hard-to-get-into school; elite school; highly-selective school
entrance examination for selected candidates (who have been recommended to the university)
percentage of correct answers
(translucent) aqueous solution
growth period; period of rapid growth
to take out a loan; to get a loan
sixth year of elementary school; sixth year elementary school student
vein of gold; financial connections; patron; source of money
daily set meal; daily special; plat du jour
enrolling at a cram school
striped mullet (Mugil cephalus); redlip mullet (Chelon haematocheilus)
the various countries of Europe and America; the West
football juggling; soccer ball juggling; lifting (in a rugby line-out); (breast) lifting surgery
imitation; copy; make-believe; doing something in a way that only superficially resembles the real thing
jade plant (Crassula argentea, Crassula ovata)
one's weak point; one's sore spot; raw nerve
roundness; rotundity; mellowness; maturity
taking a junior high-school entrance examination
service industry; service sector
1,000,000,000,000; one trillion
beginning; start; first (in line, etc.); origin; such as ...; not to mention ...
keeper of imperial archives; worker skilled in the brewing of sake or soy sauce
straightforwardly; being outspoken
decisive moment; turning point; critical moment; win-or-bust situation
to make the impossible possible; to accomplish the impossible
registrant; subscriber; enrollee
three branch Tokugawa families (Owari, Kii, and Mito); big three; top three
automatic teller machine; ATM; asynchronous transfer mode; ATM; anti-tank missile; ATM
child from previous marriage; child of a former spouse; stepchild
pivot foot; emphasis; priority; focus
(having) bad marks or results (e.g. in school); of poor quality or workmanship
ready fire-power; battle-ready forces; immediate asset (to a team or firm); someone who can be an immediately effective player or worker
child-rearing expenses; child-support payments (following divorce)