Definition
肉中刺 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning 'a thorn in one's flesh' — a constant annoyance or trouble that is hard to remove. The literal image is a thorn stuck in flesh, but the word is always used figuratively to describe a person or problem that persistently irritates. You'll see it in the common pair 眼中钉，肉中刺 ('a nail in one's eye, a thorn in one's flesh'), which intensifies the idea of an unbearable nuisance.
n.
thorn in one's flesh (figurative, a constant annoyance or trouble)
Examples
- ，肉中刺。Nàge tóngshì zǒngshì zhǎo máfan, zhēn shì gōngsī de ròu zhōng.That colleague always causes trouble — really a thorn in the company's side.
- ，肉中刺。Línjū de gǒu měitiān jiào gè bù tíng, chéng le wǒmen jiā de ròu zhōng.The neighbor's dog barks all day, becoming a thorn in our family's side.
- ，肉中刺。Zhège xiàngmù de wèntí yìzhí jiějué bù liǎo, chéng le tā de ròu zhōng.The problem with this project can't be solved, becoming a thorn in his side.
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