bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
rotation; making the rounds; spreading; effect; efficacy; by way of; via
genius; prodigy; natural gift
opposite; reverse; contrary; front and back; parallel to; back to back
around the world; throughout the world
uninspiring; unexciting; dull; unrefined; uninteresting
destructive power; destructive energy; destructive force
to be inferior to; to be less good at; to fall behind
disastrous flooding; kelpie; water demon that brings floods or disasters
law; act; method; mood; dharma; law
jack of all trades, master of none
manner; way; appearance; air; custom; convention; folk song (genre of the Shi Jing)
incomprehensible; mysterious; inexplicable; inscrutable; enigmatic; baffling
to swoop down; to glide down; to fly down; to land gently (on); to alight (on)
rumour; rumor; report; hearsay; gossip; common talk
plausible (but untrue); credible (e.g. lie); specious; seemingly truthful
crisis; critical situation; emergency; pinch
bowing (a string instrument)
also known as; also called
setting off (on a trip); departure
hope; wish; aspiration; (bright) prospects; expectation
signboard; sign; draw; attraction; reputation (of a shop); name
vacant land; unoccupied ground; empty lot
(bearing a) close resemblance; vivid reminder (e.g. of the past); dim; faint; vague
townscape; street (of stores and houses); (look of) stores and houses on street
stand; rest; setting (of a gem); mounting; stock (in grafting); counter for machines and vehicles; level (e.g. price level)
to pass (by) each other; to brush past; to miss (meeting) each other; to fail to meet; to be at odds; to clash
width; breadth; freedom (e.g. of thought); latitude; gap; difference (e.g. in price)
to cover a surface; to spread all over; to blanket; to lay
to stand in a row (e.g. shops on a street); to line in a row; to line; to be equal to; to be on a par with
each house; every house; many houses
(made of) stone; stone-built
here and there; in places
tree; shrub; wood; timber; wooden clappers (signalling the beginning or end of a performance)
to use; to make use of; to utilize; to utilise
to happen to pass by; to pass by
people; men and women; each person; everybody
dweller; inhabitant; resident; user (of a website)
clothing; costume; outfit; garment; dress
shade; tone; tinge; hue; colour; color