agricultural community; farm village; rural
tranquil; calm; quiet; mild (weather); balmy
area; region; district; locality
to speak badly (of); to speak ill (of); to bad-mouth
rural area; countryside; the sticks; hometown
hmm; well ...; humph; roughly; harshly; violently
uninterested (in); having no interest (in)
sleepy; drowsy; somnolent
a long time ago; in those days
the Ox (second sign of the Chinese zodiac); hour of the Ox (around 2am, 1-3am, or 2-4am); north-northeast; twelfth month of the lunar calendar
enjoyable; fun; pleasant; happy; delightful
tea; tea plant (Camellia sinensis); tea preparation; making tea; brown; (arch.) mockery
to drink; to swallow; to smoke (tobacco); to swallow up; to engulf; to suppress (one's anger, bitter feelings, etc.); to keep down
in terms of both ... and ...; from the perspective of ... as well as ...; whether it be ... or ...
chance; start; opportunity; cause; reason; excuse
this is why; that is the reason why; it is the case that; so; thus; with that
each time; every time; thank you for your continued patronage; thank you for your support; hello; I'm coming in
to partition; to divide; to direct; to manage; to settle accounts; to assume a crouching posture (at the start of a bout)
first person to say something; first person to suggest something; person who raised a matter
extreme; excessive; terrible; intense; severe; serious
record; document; minutes; record (e.g. in sports); setting (a record); recording (a record high, etc.)
beginning; outset; first; onset
every year; yearly; annually
gradually; by degrees; little by little; bit by bit
every ...; every other ...; at intervals of ...; with ... in between; ... apart
holding (a conference, exhibition, etc.); opening; hosting (e.g. the Olympics)
tough (world); hard (times); cold; stingy; miserly; mercenary
caller; visitor; company; guest
seems; I think; I guess; right?; don't you agree?; I thought you'd say that!
estimate (of costs); budget
-ical; -ive; -like; -ish; (something) like; along the lines of
tough; hard; determined; strong-minded; strong (e.g. sunlight, alcohol); severe
after an interval of ... years; for the first time in ... years
(present) head of a family
fellow; guy; thing; object; he; she
together (with); at the same time; in one lump; in the same category
just because; even if; even though
arrangement; preparations; search (by police)