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肉中刺 (ròu zhōng cì) — thorn in one's flesh (figurative, a constant annoyance or trouble)

Definition

Set phrase (成语) for a persistent irritation or nuisance — literally 'a thorn in the flesh', more vivid and figurative than a plain word like 问题 or 麻烦.

noun
thorn in one's flesh (figurative, a constant annoyance or trouble)

Examples

  • ，肉中刺。
    Nà ge tóng shì zǒng shì zhǎo má fan, zhēn shì gōng sī de ròu zhōng cì.
    That colleague always causes trouble — really a thorn in the company's side.
  • ，肉中刺。
    Lín jū de gǒu měi tiān jiào ge bù tíng, chéng le wǒ men jiā de ròu zhōng cì.
    The neighbor's dog barks all day, becoming a thorn in our family's side.
  • ，肉中刺。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù de wèn tí yì zhí jiě jué bù liǎo, chéng le tā de ròu zhōng cì.
    The problem with this project can't be solved, becoming a thorn in his side.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

肉中inside the flesh
肉ròuflesh中zhōnginside
偏正Modifier + head
刺cìthorn

肉中 means inside the flesh, and 刺 means thorn, giving a thorn in the flesh.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original shape of 肉 showed ribs of an animal’s torso, or simply a slice of meat.

Open 肉 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì刺cì
Same sound today

刺 pairs 刂 (knife) with 朿, which gives the sound; the knife part fits actions like stabbing or pricking.

Open 刺 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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