one (esp. of two); the other; on the one hand; on the other hand; whereas; although
very; greatly; much; just about to; almost; very nearly
hard fight; close game; struggle; tight contest
to defy accepted norms; to go off the rails; to be eccentric
having an audience with someone of very high social standing (e.g. the emperor)
believer; adherent; devotee; fanboy; fanatic; superfan
faith; belief; piety; devotion; godliness
layman; believer; adherent; follower; laity
explosive; blasting powder
to learn; to acquire knowledge; to carry; to wear (clothes, etc.); to put on
suicide bombing (e.g. crashing one's plane into a target); self-destruction; blowing oneself up
in short; in a word; to sum up; to put it simply; to make a long story short; after all
to tremble violently; to shudder up; to shake
to take seriously; to believe in; to fall for
active; positive; progressive
to chip; to nick; to break; to lack
to escape (disaster, death, etc.); to be saved from; to be rescued from; to avoid (e.g. punishment); to evade (e.g. responsibility); to avert
counterattack; counteroffensive; counterblow
flag; banner (administrative division of Inner Mongolia)
temporary; provisional; interim; special; extraordinary; extra
veteran; reservist; ex-soldier
irregular employment; non-fulltime employment; non-regular; irregular; subnormal (number); denormal
skill; proficiency; experience; dexterity
to approach; to draw near; to get close; to get acquainted with; to get closer to; to get to know
government of the Qing dynasty; Qing government
movement; move; motion; trend; development; change
even if; even though; even; too; whether ... or ...; no matter (what, where, who, etc.)
capture (of enemy territory); taking (by storm); defeating (an opponent); attacking (a problem) strategically
ambitious; motivated; willful
commander-in-chief; supreme commander
Britain and France; Anglo-French
puzzling; tangled; complicated; complex
unskillful; poor; awkward; imprudent; untactful
stimulus; impetus; incentive; encouragement; motivation; provocation
major war; great war; world war