to take a lot of trouble; to put in a lot of effort; to rack one's brains to accomplish something

To act as if one is taking things very seriously; to make a show of being in earnest, often in an exaggerated way or to deceive others

to blot out; to write off; to completely ignore or deny facts or achievements

deathly pale or white, typically of the face due to fear or illness

To vent one's anger or frustration on an innocent person or a third party.

to slow down or stop a vehicle or machine by applying pressure; also refers to the braking device itself. Nowadays more commonly written as [[刹车|剎車|sha1 che1]].

vicious and terrifying people; fierce-looking devils or evil spirits

To dampen the mood or spoil the enjoyment of a pleasant situation; to be a killjoy. Literally means to ruin a beautiful view.

an evil spirit or demon

To stop writing; to break off writing or conclude a piece of work such as a letter or article

to be a wet blanket; to dampen the spirits; to ruin a pleasant atmosphere or scenery; to be a blot on the landscape

a fierce or evil spirit; a malevolent deity

To come to a sudden stop; to brake or bring something to a halt; to finish or end abruptly.

a devil or fiend; a wicked or fiendish person

To finish off or wind up a task or project

to stretch out or spread apart, such as one's fingers or branches; to stand on end, as hair does

to blot out at one stroke; to totally negate or deny something without a hearing; to dismiss or reject a matter entirely and carelessly

In Taoism, a group of seventy-two stars that exert influence over earthly affairs, each associated with a specific deity or star-spirit; they are often summoned by Taoist priests during rituals; later used in the novel "Water Margin" to represent seventy-two of the rebel leaders of Liangshan Marsh

(literary) the ghost of a person returning home shortly after their death; a malicious spirit associated with death

malevolent deity or demon that brings bad luck and disaster

The ritual or superstitious belief that a person's soul returns to its home a few days after death. after death

(In astrology) an unlucky star believed to govern murder and violence; often used together with [[天罡|天罡|tian1 gang1]] to represent the 108 spirits of folklore

a person who is cursed to bring misfortune or death to everyone close to them

the spirit of a deceased person returning to the family home after death

too much; excessive; to an extreme degree. Often used in older literature or poetry to describe something as going too far.

To be extremely worried or anxious but feel helpless.

(early colloquial) to feel overwhelmed by special favor or honor; to feel that one does not deserve such kindness or good fortune

to contract and reduce; to shrink

to have no final outcome or conclusion, often implying a bad or tragic end; to come to a miserable finish

Taiwan colloquial use meaning to be smitten with or to take a sudden liking to someone

to vent one's frustration or anger, often by taking it out on an innocent party

An evil star or deity that brings bad luck; a jinx

extremely; very; used in written or literary contexts to intensify an adjective

to make a show of being very much in earnest; to act as if one is taking things very seriously or as if something is really happening

ferocious or aggressive in appearance; murderous-looking

to settle or sum up an account, especially at the end of a business period; to make out a financial statement

to go to a lot of trouble; to spend a great deal of effort or energy

To ward off or avoid evil spirits; specifically, a traditional custom where family members avoid the home on a date calculated by a priest to be when a deceased person's soul returns.