A can of worms

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual
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意味: A situation that creates many problems; a complicated mess.

制造很多问题的情况;复杂的麻烦。
Una situación que crea muchos problemas; un lío complicado.
多くの問題を引き起こす状況;複雑な混乱。
많은 문제를 일으키는 상황; 복잡한 난제.

'Opening a can of worms' means starting something that creates many complicated problems—worms escaping in all directions, impossible to control. Often preceded by 'open'—to start investigating something problematic.

'Opening a can of worms'(打开一罐虫子)意味着开始某事会产生很多复杂的问题——虫子四处逃窜,无法控制。通常与'open'搭配——开始调查某个有问题的事情。
'Abrir una lata de gusanos' significa iniciar algo que crea muchos problemas complicados—gusanos escapando en todas direcciones, imposibles de controlar. A menudo precedido por 'open'—empezar a investigar algo problemático.
「can of worms」(ワームの缶)を開けるとは、多くの複雑な問題を引き起こすこと—ワームがあらゆる方向に逃げ出し、制御不能になる。しばしば「open」が先行し、問題のあることを調べ始めることを意味します。
'Opening a can of worms'는 사방으로 벌레가 도망치듯 통제할 수 없는 복잡한 문제들을 야기하는 일을 시작하는 것을 뜻한다. 주로 'open'과 함께 쓰여 문제가 될 만한 것을 조사하기 시작하는 것을 의미한다.

例文

  1. Don't open that can of worms.
    别打开那个潘多拉盒子
    No abras esa caja de Pandora
    その問題には触れないで
    그 문제는 건드리지 마.
  2. That question opened a whole can of worms.
    那个问题引出了一大堆麻烦
    Esa pregunta abrió la caja de Pandora
    その質問で問題が山積みになった
    그 질문이 온갖 문제를 다 끄집어냈어.
  3. It's a real can of worms.
    这真是一团糟
    Es un verdadero lío
    本当に厄介な問題だ
    정말 골치 아픈 문제야.

発音

/ə kæn əv wɜːmz/

使い方ガイド

場面: problems, complications, investigations

トーン: warning, concerned

✓ 正しい言い方

  • Can of worms
    一堆麻烦事
    Un avispero
    やっかいな問題
    골칫거리
  • Open a can of worms
    打开了潘多拉的盒子
    Abrir un avispero
    厄介な問題を引き起こす
    골칫거리를 만들다
  • That's a can of worms
    那是个大麻烦
    Eso es un avispero
    それはやぶ蛇になる
    그건 큰 골칫거리야

よくある間違い

起源と歴史

American expression from the 1950s, referencing bait containers. Opening a can of fishing worms releases a writhing, hard-to-control mess—the perfect metaphor for complicated problems.

語源: From fishing: opening a container of bait worms

初出: 1950s American

文化的背景

Era: 1950s onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: American expression, global usage

Regional notes: American origin, understood globally.

バリエーション

A can of wormsOpen a can of worms

このトピックの他の表現

Butterflies in your stomach ★★★★★ Nervous feeling; anxious excitement. Bug someone ★★★★★ To annoy or bother someone persistently. Copycat ★★★★★ Someone who imitates another; a person who copies. Black sheep ★★★★★ The outcast or disreputable member of a group or family. Scapegoat ★★★★★ Someone blamed for others' mistakes; a person who takes t... Night owl ★★★★★ Someone who stays up late; a person most active at night.
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