to prick; to stab; to poke; to prod; to use (a cane); to prop oneself up with
severe; strict; hard (to do); difficult; intense (e.g. cold); harsh (weather)
tone (of voice); manner of talking
soft; tender; limp; subdued (colour or light) (color); gentle; meek
roundness; rotundity; mellowness; maturity
indicates reason or excuse; indicates dissatisfaction; indicates desire to be pampered or indulged
to shine; to glitter; to sparkle
force; strength; capability; ability; efficacy; effect; effort
negligence; carelessness; inattention; unpreparedness
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it; I mean
to lose heart; to lose interest; to lose motivation; to become stale (i.e. of a carbonated beverage); to go flat; to lose flavor
big; large; loud; extensive; spacious; important
senior high school student
National Center Test for University Admissions
taking an examination (esp. school and university entrance)
person; -er; (arch.) expert; (arch.) geisha; (arch.) prostitute
success; passing (e.g. exam); eligibility
to decide; to choose; to clinch (a victory); to decide (the outcome of a match); to persist in doing; to go through with; to always do
to grow up; to become an adult; to become big; to grow in size
now that you say that; now that you mention it
time; season; period; phase; stage
classroom; lecture room; department (in a university); class; lessons; school (for a particular discipline)
stairs; stairs at the front of a noh stage
peculiarity; uniqueness; characteristic
to glide; to slide (e.g. on skis); to fail (an examination); to bomb (when telling a joke); to drop; to go down
to leak out; to escape; to find expression; to give vent; to leak out; to be divulged
to use (a thing, method, etc.); to make use of; to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.); to employ; to use (time, money, etc.); to spend
wrong; not good; hopeless; past hope; must not do
tacit understanding; unspoken agreement
formation; establishment; conclusion (e.g. of a deal); reaching (e.g. an agreement); being valid (of a theory, argument, etc.); holding
seeming; giving the appearance of; giving one the feeling of
now that you mention it; come to think of it; that reminds me; on that subject; speaking of which
third year of junior high school; third-year junior high school student
recommendation; referral; endorsement