Can of Worms——十分棘手

**any situation that, once entered into, becomes complicated and difficult to resolve

任何一旦發生就會變得複雜且難以解決的情況。

~~ 十分棘手；非常複雜；某件事將問題弄得更加複雜；牽扯出一連串問題；極為棘手的問題；尚未解決的複雜問題；複雜問題；複雜後果；馬蜂窩；爛攤子；一團糟；一團亂麻；處境困難。

~~ wheels within wheels; Pandora's box; hornet's nest; wasp's nest; mare's nest; tangled web; tight corner; Gordian knot; tight spot; disputed point; fly in the ointment; kettle of fish; double bind; unholy mess

!! The expression alludes to the mid-20th century practice of selling live fishing bait in a metal can, which when opened reveals an inextricable tangle of wriggling worms. If the top was left open for too long or the can was tipped over, the problem would no longer be catching fish; it would be catching baits that are wriggling away.

這個說法暗指二十世紀中期一種用金屬罐出售活餌的做法。打開罐子，裡面露出一堆蠕動的蚯蚓，糾纏在一起，難以分開。如果罐子蓋打開太久，或是罐子翻倒，問題不再是捕魚，而變為捕捉正在蠕動的魚餌。

>> The AI ethics debate has become a can of worms, raising concerns about privacy, bias, and job displacement.

人工智能倫理爭論變得十分棘手，引發人們對隱私、偏見和失業的關注。

>> The debate over free speech online has become a can of worms, with clashes over censorship, misinformation, and hate speech.

關於網路言論自由的爭論已變得非常複雜，圍繞審查制度、錯誤訊息和仇恨言論的衝突不斷。

學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師 李啟文 教授