several weeks; a few weeks
firm; determined; resolute; conclusive
to speed; to tear away; to skip over (e.g. pages)
ten thousand years; eternity; perennial; perpetual
back off!; leave me alone!
to sniff around; to snoop around; to nose about
telling others; revealing to others; letting out a secret
(on a) closer look; closer scrutiny; second look
that child; that kid; that boy; (arch.) you
three times (as much); treble; triple; threefold
in a bad temper; cranky; crabby
way out; means to escape; escape route
substance; essence; real (in economics, vs. nominal, e.g. real interest rate); substantive; substantial
unexpected; unforeseen; inconceivable
ambush; lying in wait for an ambush
to hang one's head; to droop one's head
kindergarten pupil; kindergartener
childcare worker; kindergarten teacher
idling; lazing; slovenly; flirting; philandering; womanizing
derailment; digression; deviation
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
ministry; department; province (of China); saving; conserving
training (esp. in-service); induction course
to inflict; to impose (a fine, etc.)
to give a little chuckle; to let out a giggle
intimacy; friendship; familiarity
alley; alleyway; teahouse garden; path through a gate (or through a garden, etc.)
counter for buildings (esp. houses); suffix for a pen name, stage name, etc.
lodging; inn; house; home; home of a servant's parents (or guarantor, etc.)
like this; in this way; as you see
premature; untimely (e.g. death); early
established fact; fait accompli
to spoil; to break; to go bad; to go wrong; to fail