grave; solemn; serious; harsh (e.g. truth); hard; strict
lined curtain; opaque curtain
pitch dark; total darkness
(the) executive; administration; leadership
entirely; completely; all; nothing but
outer circumference; perimeter; outskirts; periphery
to pin the enemy down; to glare another down (and render impotent)
body; group; party; gang; troupe; troop
distinction; discrimination; distinguishing; discernment
wrong (guess or estimate); misdirected; irrelevant; off the point
introduction, development, turn and conclusion (quadripartite structure of certain Chinese poetry); story composition and development
to have no way of knowing; to be completely ignorant of
self-analysis; autoanalysis
base (of a plant, tree, pillar, etc.); (part near the) root; roots (of one's hair); root (e.g. of a problem); source
to build up; to complete; to construct; to make up; to fabricate; to invent
one cause; one reason; one factor
impossible to understand; impossible to decipher
examination; quiz; test; tryout; rehearsal (in filming)
reasoning; inference; deduction; mystery or detective genre
creative work (e.g. artistic, literary)
person who sets questions (for an exam or quiz)
answer; reply; response; answer; solution; result
ordinary; run-of-the-mill; usual
encroachment; erosion; corrosion
whole book (volume); complete episode
to inlay; to set; to stud (e.g. star-studded sky); to enchase (something) with; to mount (gems)
actor; actress; man of wits; clever person; cunning fellow
stage scenery; set; backdrop
classical music; classic; classical; classic (work); the classics
enka; traditional-style Japanese popular ballad
ceremonial; ritual; ritualistic; formal
main purpose; primary objective
mediocre; ordinary; commonplace; banal
to one's heart's content or satisfaction
unusual clothing; strange way of dressing up; prohibited form of dress