节外生枝 (jié wài shēng zhī) — (idiom) new problems crop up unexpectedly; to hit an unexpected snag; (idiom) to deliberately introduce extra complications; to create unnecessary obstacles

Definition

An idiom for when a settled matter suddenly spawns new problems, either by accident or by someone stirring them up deliberately. Often paired with 避免 to stress prevention.

idiom
new problems crop up unexpectedlyto hit an unexpected snagto deliberately introduce extra complicationsto create unnecessary obstacles

Examples

  • ，节外生枝，。
    Běn lái tán dé hǎo hǎo de, tā què tū rán jié wài shēng zhī, hé zuò yí xià zi jiù huáng le.
    We were negotiating smoothly, but he suddenly created new problems, and the cooperation fell apart.
  • 节外生枝，。
    Nǐ bié zài jié wài shēng zhī le, àn zhào yuán jì huà zuò jiù xíng.
    Don't complicate things any further — just follow the original plan.
  • ，节外生枝。
    Xiàng mù jìn zhǎn shùn lì, shuí yě méi xiǎng dào zuì hòu huì jié wài shēng zhī.
    The project was going smoothly; nobody expected new problems to arise at the very end.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →

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
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
支
支zhī枝zhī
Same sound today

枝 shows 木 (tree) beside 支, which gives the sound.

Open 枝 →

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