genius; prodigy; natural gift
double torture; double pain; double hardship; double whammy
declining birth rates; decrease in the number of children
birth; giving birth; creating; bringing into the world
thin (e.g. air); diluted; sparse; lacking (e.g. empathy); deficient; insufficient (e.g. zeal)
to catch fire; to provoke; to catch fire from; to be ignited
urbanization; urbanisation
unclean; dirty; unsanitary; indecent; dirty (story, money, etc.); obscene
value; worth; merit; estimation; evaluation; appraisal
to be lost (e.g. luggage); to be missing; to be used up; to be run out; to disappear (e.g. pain); to be lost (e.g. a dream, confidence)
to apologize; to apologise
mental illness; emotional disorder
soliloquy; monologue; speaking to oneself
thickly; stickily; viscously
to recover; to rally; to improve; to pick up
worn-out; ragged; crumbling; dry and crumbly; falling (in drops or clumps); scattering
child's tear-stained face
gradually; by degrees; little by little; steps; stairs; staircase
to sit upright; to sit up straight; to take a defiant attitude; to become aggressive; to take the offensive
on closer reflection; on second thought; come to think of it; actually
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
skillful; skilful; delicious; appetizing; fortunate; splendid
briquette (charcoal or coal)
to burn; to kindle; to heat (a bath); to light (a stove); to use (a camera flash)
one's heart's desire; one's dearest wish
baby girl; primary schoolgirl
to shut in; to confine; to contain
plump; rotund; chubby; entirely; completely; wholly
to shrink; to contract; to diminish (in size)
crushing; squashing; crumpling; squishing; with a smash; with a crunch
to be overturned; to be reversed; to turn over; to fall down; to tumble down; to topple over
to kick away; to kick off; to kick hard; to refuse curtly; to reject outright
footprint; soleprint; last; wooden mold for shoes or tabi (mould)
cicada; locust; small-sized pulley
to surpass; to outstrip; to excel
to handle (men); to master (a tool); to manage; to acquire a command of (a language)
single; simple; singles (tennis, badminton, etc.); win bet (bet which predicts the winner of a race)