Vocabulary

very shrewd in preparing a means of escape; being very good at escaping danger

being somewhat excited (agitated)

rise and fall; prosperity and decline; vicissitudes

bold and boorish

unparalleled for valor; unmatched for bravery

abnormally and inhumanly greedy; cruel and rapacious

enhancing national prestige; expanding national influence

cosmopolitan (international) way of thinking; feeling for the wider world

the international arena

dynamics of international (foreign) relations

(a woman of) unparalleled beauty; (a woman's beauty being) matchless throughout the land

huge harvest (of the five grains); bumper crop; abundant crop

poem of four lines, each of five (Chinese) characters

poem of eight lines, each of five (Chinese) characters

idiom derived from historical events or classical literature of China

extremely important or once in a lifetime (request); only once in one's lifetime

feeling apprehensive; feeling (looking) lone and helpless; being down-and-out (ruined); helplessness of those in reduced circumstances

horse-headed and ox-headed demons in the Buddhist hell

contest held in the presence of a daimyo, shogun or the Emperor

with no physical defects; in perfectly good health; sound in wind and limb

fixed idea; idée fixe; obsession; fixation

the fate of a nation; life-or-death (situation) for a nation; national crisis

eventful times for the nation; the nation being in turmoil; the storm clouds gathering in the land

bitter cold and fierce heat

exercising self-restraint and conforming to the rules of etiquette and formality

being arduous; working diligently enduring hardships; making a strenuous effort

being arduous; working diligently enduring hardships; making a strenuous effort

smooth-talking and humorous; with jocose and comical airs

(people) sing the praises (enjoy the blessings) of peace

salt and pepper hair; dark hair streaked with gray

obstinate; stubborn; hard-headed; pigheaded; incapable of making sound judgements because of a narrow, inflexible and obstinate mentality

hardships and privations

firm and solid; sturdy and indestructible; unshakable; adamantine

firm and solid; sturdy and indestructible; unshakable; adamantine

Deva king (guardian god at a temple gate, holding a vajra); Vajrapani

the state (degree) of congestion; how bad traffic jams are

befuddled (bewildered, confused) state; stupor

chaotic state; turmoil; disarray; labyrinth

utmost limits; to the finish; to the (bitter) end; to the hilt; down to the bedrock

being beyond recovery; having no hope of recovery