reasons; circumstances; significance; hindrance; obstruction; interference
frank; direct; plain; straightforward; point-blank; concise
to fall into (someone's) hands; to fall under someone's control; to become someone's property (e.g. of an object)
anti-; antithesis; fanqie; traditional Chinese spelling system in which two characters are used: the first one for the onset, the second one for rhyme and tone
skirmish; brush (with the enemy); small fight with a military enemy; squabble; quarrel; brief argument
behind closed doors; behind-the-scenes; (under the veil of) secrecy
elite; best; pick; cream of the crop
valley; ravine; glen; gorge
place that is cool in the summer; place one goes to escape the heat of summer; summer retreat
hill; height; knoll; bonus points awarded to the winner at the end of a game
naming; nominating; designating; calling on; asking for; requesting
people; citizens; subjects; folk
private; foot soldier; infantryman; underling; low level worker; minor player
one's own strength or effort; (by) oneself
to shake; to jolt; to rock (cradle); to blackmail; to extort; to shake down
gate; branch of learning based on the teachings of a single master; division; phylum; counter for cannons
(a) little; (a) few; slight; only; just; merely
to deify; to enshrine; to pray; to worship
to suddenly understand (esp. on basis of experience or memory); to come to mind; to recall (in a flash); to be reminded of; to call to mind; to think of
gradually; steadily; slowly; little by little; step by step; by degrees
leader; reader; reading book; reader (i.e. someone who reads); microreader; dotted line (in printing)
-ish; -like; resembling; appearing to be; seeming to be
middle-age; middle age; midlife; one's middle years
truth; reality; sincerity; honesty; content; substance
to order; to command; to appoint
to hold up over one's head; to hold aloft; to hold over something; to hold (one's hands) out (e.g. towards a fire); to hold up to shade one's eyes, face, etc.
underling; person of low standing; grunt; petty (work, official, etc.); minor; lowly
common soldier; private; rank and file; small fry; underling
castle town; city in Japan that developed around the castle of a feudal lord
occupying; having (an area) all to oneself; military occupation; possession; capture
inhabitant; resident; citizen; population