after all; in the end; anyway; (cannot) possibly; (not) at all; (not) by any means
standing on tiptoe and stretching one's back to make oneself taller; stretching oneself; overreaching oneself; overstretching oneself; trying to do something beyond one's ability
to apply (a rule); to be applicable; to come under (a category); to fulfill; to hold true
to one's regret; regrettably; unfortunately; what can be done about ...; ... cannot be helped
at any rate; in any case; at the very least; if nothing else
face; honour; meld; lineup (of players participating in a mahjong game); attendees (e.g. at a meeting); members
close; intimate; on good terms
close; intimate; on good terms
awkward (difficult) question
to be awesome; to be extreme; to be incredible
polite; courteous; civil; careful; close; thorough
injury; wound; mistake; accident; loss
to bother; to meddle; to poke one's nose (into another's business); to be too helpful
confession; acknowledgement; confession of love; professing one's feelings; confession of sins (e.g. the confessional)
temperature; body temperature (human, animal)
frank; candid; straightforward; openhearted; direct; outspoken
all of a sudden; unexpected; abrupt; sudden
query; interrogation; enquiry; question; inquiry
land mine; topic that sets someone off; sensitive topic; something that seems fine at first but turns out to be very bad (e.g. product, business); booby trap
way of asking; way of listening; listener
to probe someone's real intentions; to sound someone out; to try to fathom someone's thoughts
dice; die; baton (of command)
recovery; undoing; recall
direct; frank; straightforward; decisive; prompt
intermittently; bit by bit; little by little; in drops (e.g. of rain)
to copy; to imitate; to counterfeit; to forge
to stare back at; to look back at
awkward; uncomfortable; embarrassing
to knit one's brows (in discomfort, unease, disapproval, etc.); to raise one's eyebrows; to frown; to scowl
explanation; excuse; clarification; vindication; apology
to lose (through death) (e.g. wife, child)
television; TV; TV program; TV programme; TV broadcast
to attract; to be used to
to release; to let go; to free; to add (pieces of eggplant, potato, etc.) to water, broth, etc.
class (of students); group (of people); party; lot; bunch; crime family; organized-crime syndicate
originator; ringleader; perpetrator; main culprit; person responsible
to shoot dead; to bring down (an animal); to win (a prize, someone's heart, etc.); to make one's own
dizziness; giddiness; vertigo
firmly; solidly; sturdily; strongly; toughly
to be disappointed; to be dejected; to be downhearted; to feel exhausted; to feel drained
to head towards; to direct one's steps to
perhaps; possibly; by some chance; by some possibility
light novel; young-adult illustrated fiction