important point; point to make note of
to pass; to elapse; to pass through; to go through; to experience; to go through
fortunately; luckily; thankfully
conversation (just) between you and me; confidential talk
to spread (e.g. a rumor); to circulate; to disseminate
to be thrilled; to be excited
to count on the abacus; to calculate cost-benefit; to calculate profitability; to be guided by self-interest
evaluation meeting; postmortem session; review meeting
after all is said and done; no matter what people say; in the end; definitely; undeniably
snake; serpent; large snake
muscle stiffness (esp. in shoulders); lump (in tissue, esp. breast); swelling; lingering discomfort; uneasiness
white paper; flyleaf; blank paper; clean slate; lack of prior opinion, positions, etc.; scratch
to this extent; to this degree; this much; this little
advantageous; favourable; better; profitable; lucrative; gainful
international; worldwide; cross-border; cosmopolitan
fairness; impartiality; justice; objectivity
wedding hall; marriage hall; wedding place; wedding location
to give off sparks; to spark; to scintillate; to have a heated argument; to combat; to do something fiercely
the northeastern (unlucky) direction; person or thing to be avoided; (lit.) the demon's gate; weak point; Achilles' heel
to go through; to suffer; to experience (something unpleasant)
from beginning to end; from start to finish; from first to last; end-to-end; all the way through
to drive (e.g. horse, carriage); to control; to manage
to the core; to the bone; (lit.) to the marrow
whatever the case; under any circumstances
a person without a single relative
putting a deliberately bad interpretation (on a person's actions); petty-minded suspicion
beginning (of a century, etc.)
wearing thick clothes; dressing warmly
to stake; to risk; to bet; to wager
anticipation; expectation; plan; preparation
unheard-of; unprecedented
subject; theme; homework; assignment; task; challenge
halfway up (down) a mountain; mountainside