can of worms

English

Noun

can of worms (plural cans of worms)

1. (idiomatic) A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.

   If I give her a promotion which she doesn't deserve, it will open up a whole can of worms with the other employees.

2. (idiomatic) A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.

   Calling her the greatest person who ever lived would definitely open a can of worms.

Synonyms

• kettle of fish
• Pandora's box

Translations

a complex, troublesome situation

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 棘手的問題 (cmn), 棘手的问题 (cmn) (jíshǒu de wèntí)

• French: sac de nœuds (fr) m, lit., "a bag of knots"
• Japanese: 状態 (ja) (ゴチャゴチャした : gochagocha-shita jōtai), 事態 (ja) (困った : komatta jitai)
• Navajo: tʼóó chąąʼ
• Russian: клубок проблем (ru) (klubók problém) m , весёленькая история (ru) (vesjólen'kaja istórija)  (ironic)