to compete with; to vie for
academic year; school year; year in school; grade in school
opposition; rivalry; competition; antagonism
to ascend; to go up; to ascend (as a natural process, e.g. the Sun); to rise; to go to (the capital); to be promoted; to add up to
additional; extraordinary; outside the norms; special case
to draw (the winning ticket); to apply; to compare; to put (oneself in someone's position)
leadership; initiative; spearhead
to smoke (e.g. fire); to billow smoke; to smoulder; to be hazy; to look dim
investigation; inspection; examination; tune; note; melody
to be wide-awake; to be wakeful; to be unable to sleep
to untie; to unfasten; to unsew; to unstitch; to solve; to work out; to dispel (misunderstanding, etc.)
to tremble; to shiver; to shake
to weigh on one's mind; to be worried about (something)
dissolute; dissipated; licentious; slovenly; untidy; messy
popular use; circulation; to pass as; to pass for
duty; responsibility (incl. supervision of staff); liability; onus
serious; important; significant; grave; weighty
seriously; no kidding; joking aside; in all seriousness
to have a meal; to take a meal
to steel oneself to; to brace oneself
instantaneous water heater; on-demand water heater
unpleasant; disagreeable; nasty; lewd; lascivious; obscene
frail; having a weak constitution; being in poor health
coping method; approach; how to deal with (problem, etc.)
futon; Japanese bedding consisting of a mattress and a duvet; round cushion used for Zen meditation (traditionally made of woven bulrush leaves)
to be wrapped up (e.g. in a blanket); to cover oneself
to settle (a problem); to put an end to (a dispute); to be disposed of; to be settled; to come to an end
personal affair; one's own affair
remainder; remnant; (not) very; (not) much; too much; excessively
cherry tree; cherry blossom; fake buyer; paid audience; hired applauder; horse meat
the dead; ghost; person who is obsessed (with money, power, etc.); person with a blind lust (for)
to find fault with; to question
linkage; entanglement; involvement; relationship; interaction
yearned for; longed for; missed
after a long time; for the first time in a while
to polish; to shine; to brush (e.g. teeth); to refine (e.g. a skill); to improve; to cultivate
technical skill; ability; capacity