棘手 (jí shǒu) — thorny, intractable, difficult to handle
Definition
棘手 describes a problem, situation, or task that is difficult and awkward to deal with — stronger and more formal than everyday 难. Typically used for complex, tangled issues rather than simple hard work.
adjective
thornyintractabledifficult to handle
Examples
- 棘手。Wǒ men yù dào le yí gè jí shǒu de wèn tí.We encountered a thorny problem.
- 棘手？Rú hé chǔ lǐ zhè ge jí shǒu de jú miàn?How to handle this thorny situation?
- 棘手。Tā shǒu tóu yǒu yí jiàn jí shǒu de shì qing.He has a thorny matter on his hands.
Appears in
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