barrier; obstacle; difficulty; hurdle; deadlock
opening (in a game of go, chess, etc.); early stages; initial phase; outset
to accept somebody's challenge; to take up the gauntlet
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
hard; tough; hardware; hard disk
Thursday; wood (first of the five elements)
cheap lodging or flophouse, especially in a skid row area or slum
rag; scrap; fault (esp. in a pretense, pretence); defect; run-down; shabby
maliciousness; ill will; noxious gas; (arch.) (vengeful) ghost; (arch.) specter
victory or defeat; victory and defeat
no side (rugby); full time; end of game; post-fight mutual praise; reconciling
common sense; common knowledge; common understanding
to understand (each other); to comprehend
decisive moment; turning point; critical moment; win-or-bust situation
perilous pass (on a route or journey); rough spot
trial of strength; test of one's strength (stamina)
positioning; getting a position; taking a position
to catch and tie up; to apprehend; to entangle; to trap; to brush out (e.g. dust, fur, plaque); to extract
to churn up; to strike up; to throw up; to tip up; to flip up
hasty; rash; rushed; hurried; impatient; impetuous
unperturbed; undaunted; retaining composure; unyielding; not giving an inch
another name; nickname; alias; synonym (taxonomy)
to beat; to attack (an enemy); to do away with; to finish off
to splash; to raise (e.g. prices)
drop of water; vessel for replenishing inkstone water
by the way; meanwhile; on the other hand
exceedingly; extremely; exceptionally; unexpectedly
leg strength; walking ability; running ability
afterwards; at a later time; later on; after some time
trick; trap; stratagem; intraoperative; during surgery
period of time; time slot; time zone
journey; course; itinerary; stroke (of a piston); throw (of a switch)
starting in advance; starting first; going first; starting (in team sports)
temporary; provisional; to do something temporarily (esp. build temporary facilities); to do something provisionally
a gap develops; a significant difference emerges
rustic; unsophisticated; provincial; hick; cornball
(inflected) end of a word; end of a sentence
excellent; superb; first-rate
novel; original; striking; strange; eccentric; fantastic
sticky; syrupy; weakly (of a flame); gently (e.g. boil); dozing off; napping