grounding (in a skill or subject); knowledge; training; achievements; attainments; accomplishments
textbook; coursebook; schoolbook
chopping block; springboard for discussion; draft proposal; tentative plan
evaluation period (software, new employee, etc.); trial period; probation period
employment (long term); hire
flexible; lithe; soft; pliable
to be on track; to be going to plan; to enter orbit
to become independent; to leave one's hands; to leave one's possession
how many months?; how long?
educated; learned; schooled
cash bonus; reward; bounty
pupil; student; schoolchild
performance-based pay; performance-based compensation; commission
agricultural community; farm village; rural
village headman; village mayor
welfare; well-being; social welfare; social security; social service
extraction; abstraction; selection (from a group); sampling
theatre; theater; playhouse
program (e.g. theatre, theater); programme; (theatrical) piece; number; performance
drama; theatre; theater; play
manzai; comic dialogue; two-person comedy act (usu. presented as a fast-paced dialogue, occ. presented as a skit)
magic (illusion); conjuring; magic trick; conjuring trick; sleight of hand
to be popular; to come into fashion; to be prevalent; to spread widely (e.g. disease); to flourish; to thrive
rakugo; traditional Japanese comic storytelling; comic story (told by a professional storyteller)
anecdote; brief (comic) story
advance arrangements; preparatory meeting; overlap (of a coat, etc.); (arch.) making something match exactly
punctually; on time; as regularly as a clock
crowded; packed; crammed; cramped; filled; overflowing
eyes sparkling; with shining eyes; for one's eyes to gleam
taking captive; carrying away; kidnapping; kidnaping; abduction
casual speech; peer language; informal language
all-you-can-eat; eating as much as one likes
to work hard at; to devote oneself to; to be diligent in
conquest; domination; mastery
to put on weight; to gain weight; to grow fat; to get stout
to glare; to dazzle; to glitter
to be ruined (reduced to poverty); to fall low; to go under; to come to ruin
young girl; lass; adolescent female