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棘 (jí) — (bound form) thorn, thorns; (bound form) thorny, difficult (figurative)

Definition

Bound morpheme meaning 'thorn / thorny', almost always seen in 荆棘 (thorns) or 棘手 (thorny, hard to deal with). Alone it does not occur as an independent word.

bound form
thornthornsthornydifficult (figurative)

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè tiáo xiǎo lù zhǎng mǎn le jīng jí.
    This path is overgrown with thorns.
  • 。
    Zhè ge wèn tí hěn jí shǒu.
    This problem is very thorny.
  • 。
    Rén shēng chōng mǎn le jīng jí.
    Life is full of thorns (difficulties).

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