盘根错节

pángēncuòjié

with twisted roots and gnarled branches—complicated and difficult to deal with; deep-rooted

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pan2 gen1 cuo4 jie2

twisted roots and intertwined joints (idiom); complicated and very tricky, knotty and deeply-rooted difficulties

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盘根错节

pán gēn cuò jié

with twisted (coiled) roots and gnarled branches; a complicated affair; a great tangled root system; complicated and difficult to deal with; deeply involved social and political factors; deep-rooted; entangling alliancess with other countries; interwining roots forming an intricate mass; (as) the tree roots are twined together -- a difficult and confused affair; with twisting roots and intercrossing branches

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盤根錯節|盘根错节 [pán gēn cuò jié] ► twisted roots and intertwined joints (idiom); complicated and very tricky ► knotty and deeply-rooted difficulties