棘手 jíshǒu thorny (problem)
thorny (problem); intractable
How to remember 棘手: 棘 thorny + 手 hand = thorny (problem).
Characters
How it is used
- Thorny, hard to handle - 棘手的问题 (jíshǒu de wèntí) a knotty problem, 这件事很棘手 this matter is tricky.
- Vivid metaphor: literally 'pricks the hand.' Used for problems/situations, not people.
- Contrast 困难 (kùnnan, difficult): 棘手 stresses awkward, no-clean-solution trickiness rather than sheer difficulty.
Example sentences
- 情况很棘手。 Qíngkuàng hěn jíshǒu.The situation is difficult.