at this juncture; after all this time; at this stage; now
long hakama; trailing hakama
crushing; squashing; crumpling; crinkling (into a broad smile); forming creases; forming wrinkles
boiled octopus; person with red flushed skin
always; forever; very; greatly (esp. of hopes and desires)
filling in (e.g. between speakers at a meeting, acts at a show); material used to fill in (between speeches at a meeting, etc.); anecdote
big quarrel; huge fight; big row
like it or not; like or not like
cling film; plastic wrap; food wrap
to push (something) against
interview; oral examination
pointing up; pointing upward; upturn; uptrend; upward tendency
junior high school; middle school; lower secondary school
home area; home town; local
ratio of successful applicants; (examination) pass rate
standing signboard; billboard; hoarding
commonplace; ordinary; typical; ubiquitous; run-of-the-mill; mundane
to stagnate; to be delayed; to be left undone; to be overdue (of a payment); to fall into arrears; to be outstanding
thickly; densely; luxuriantly
righteous government; just rule; easy method; simple approach; orthodox way; proper way
worldwide; global; international; world-famous; world-class
pilchard (esp. Japanese pilchard, Sardinops melanostictus); sardine
divine grace; divine favour; blessing; benefit; help
prayer for success in an entrance exam
ardent; passionate; vehement
to give up (something as hopeless); to throw in the towel
to chip off; to scrape off; to prune
female; smaller (of the two); weaker; (arch.) woman; (arch.) wife
admission ticket for an examination
freezing; turning into ice; freezing; locking up; freezing (in one's tracks); frieze (part of an entablature between the architrave and the cornice)
competition rate; success rate; ratio of successful (applicants) to total applicants
example; illustration; precedent