head (of organization, organisation); chief; sheikh; emir
predecessor; pioneer; ancestor
shady; underhanded; questionable
experimental; provisional
August; eighth month of the lunar calendar
to give one's first cry (of a newborn baby); to be born; to come into being; to be formed
verge of death; dying moments
to be content; to have enough; to be happy; to be sufficient; to be satisfied
to sacrifice oneself; to die a martyr
plan; trick; plot; stratagem; scheme; trap
quitting while one is ahead
to come; to go; to participate; to perform Zen meditation
(preliminary) skirmish; prelude; preliminary encounter; warm-up match (e.g. before a final)
unlimited; unrestricted; limitless
same crime; being equally guilty
to warm up to; to become enthusiastic about; to be elated
to clear away; to clear land; to prune; to lop off
delicate; minute; fine; detailed; subtle
conversion (e.g. yen to dollars); change; exchange; translation (numerical)
to backfire; to have a harmful result
maneuver (usu. of military force); manoeuvre; mobile; nimble; agile
to cram; to stuff; to jam; to squeeze; to compress; to pack
record (e.g. LP); record (e.g. in sports); record (data structure)
both ends; either end; both edges; double-mindedness; sitting on the fence
encirclement; encircling net; tight besiegement
prompt decision; quick decision; immediate judgement; summary judgment; summary judgement
profitable plan; good plan
to decide the outcome (e.g. game); to be very different; to be sharply contrasted
to bite at; to snap at; to nibble; to get one's teeth into (metaphorically); to get to grips with; to really get into
magnification; leverage; amplification; competitiveness rating (e.g. for university entrance); applicant-to-acceptance ratio
without losing time (e.g. to do); without even time for (doing something)
to assault with a sword; to stab at; to slash at
open seam; seam that has come apart; tear
to pinch and crush; to pinch out
foreign matter; impurities
to fly about; to skip about; to bustle about