Vocabulary

to scrape off; to rub off

cheeky; saucy; pert

dextrin

Paleozoic group

change purse

awkward (difficult) question

to be reluctant to answer; to hesitate to answer

ancient cloth fragment

committee of the National Diet

pillar of state

permanent national policy

to violate the border; to invade the frontier district

to fortify the frontier

to hoist the national flag

National day (of China)

to enter into diplomatic relations

individual and the whole

if things permit; under certain circumstances

word

to pounce on someone's words; to cavil at someone's words; to trip someone up with their own words

ineffable; inexpressible

language barrier

to continue (to say)

to be vague; to speak ambiguously; to be evasive; to not commit oneself

to exchange words

culture courses for the aged

needless to say

to cause trouble; to cause a disturbance

to go ahead; to proceed; to carry on

to do coherently (e.g. explain, think); to lay out logically (e.g. one's argument); to reason through (a matter); to do with reason

taking one's children along (to an event, into a new marriage, etc.)

indulgent to (one's) children; lenient with one's children; soft on one's children

to break into fragments; to go to pieces

parcel consignment

small box; casket

sawyer's song (a traditional woodcutters' work song)

piglet

to destroy; to break; to damage

small change

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