old; aged; long; since long ago; of the distant past; long-ago
work; business; company; study
specialization; specialisation
the four cardinal directions; north, east, south and west; surroundings; many countries; the whole world; all around; here and there
to surround; to encircle; to besiege; to lay siege to; to play (go, shogi, etc.)
trembling with fear; filled with trepidation
that is so; that is right; it looks to me; people say that; it is said that; I hear that
until now; so far; up to the present
to invade; to attack; to breach; to penetrate
poor (living); barely continuing; just scraping along; very narrow
wholly (due to); entirely; solely; earnestly; intently; sincerely
thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...
a long time ago; in those days
founder; originator; pioneer
superiors; big shots; higher-ups; VIPs; dignitaries
(establish) friendly (cordial) relations (with, between); (form) friendship (e.g. with a nation)
pair; the two; both persons; both things
to exchange (messages, greetings, arguments, etc.); to intersect; to cross; ... with one another; ... to each other
vassal state; vassal nation; dependency
to build up; to establish (one's reputation)
at that time; in those days
king; queen; monarch; the Crown (as a focus of authority in the UK, etc.); the throne
able; capable; competent; talented; efficient
good-naturedness; good-natured person; credulous person; easy mark
to receive; to get; to catch (e.g. a ball); to be struck by (wind, waves, sunlight, etc.); to sustain (damage); to incur (a loss); to undergo (e.g. surgery)
education; schooling; training; culture; cultivation; education
to be handed down; to be introduced; to be transmitted; to be circulated; to go along; to walk along
in truth; in actuality; at heart; the truth; the real story
pluralizing suffix (esp. for people and animals; formerly honorific)
many; numerous; large amount of; large quantity of; frequent; common
how; in what way; how about
under (guidance, supervision, rules, the law, etc.); under (a flag, the sun, etc.); beneath; with (e.g. one blow); on (the promise, condition, assumption, etc. that ...); (somebody's) side
peace; quiet; tranquility; tranquillity
to spin; to make yarn; to spin (a tale); to assemble (e.g. words); to put together
(not) even once; (not) ever
wartime fire; war; wartime destruction; horrors of war
to ask after (someone's health); to visit; to attack; to strike; to meet with misfortune