tangled relationship; interpersonal complications
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesnoun
a tangled, complicated relationship; interpersonal complications that are difficult to resolve
literaryOriginally refers to the vines of the kudzu and rattan plants, which grow intertwined. It is used metaphorically to describe messy, sticky relationships (e.g., family disputes, emotional entanglements, or bureaucratic red tape).
Tā他
jiā家
nà那
diǎn点
cái财
chǎn产
jiū纠
fēn纷
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
yī一
tuán团
gé葛
téng藤
，
lǐ理
yě也
lǐ理
bù不
qīng清
。
The property dispute in his family is a complete mess, impossible to untangle.
Liǎng两
rén人
zhī之
jiān间
duō多
nián年
de的
qíng情
gǎn感
gé葛
téng藤
，
ràng让
páng旁
guān观
zhě者
yě也
gǎn感
dào到
kùn困
rǎo扰
。
Their years of emotional entanglement even troubled the onlookers.
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Gōng公
sī司
nèi内
bù部
de的
rén人
shì事
gé葛
téng藤
yán严
zhòng重
yǐng影
xiǎng响
le了
gōng工
zuò作
xiào效
lǜ率
。
The tangled internal personnel issues severely affected work efficiency.
Tā她
xiě写
de的
xiǎo小
shuō说
，
shàn善
yú于
miáo描
xiě写
rén人
wù物
zhī之
jiān间
wēi微
miào妙
fù复
zá杂
de的
gé葛
téng藤
。
The novels she writes excel at depicting the subtle and complicated entanglements between characters.
Tā他
zhǐ只
xiǎng想
zhuān专
xīn心
zuò做
yán研
jiū究
，
bù不
yuàn愿
juǎn卷
rù入
nà那
xiē些
wú无
liáo聊
de的
shì是
fēi非
gé葛
téng藤
。
He just wants to focus on his research and doesn't want to get involved in those meaningless disputes and complications.