thorny

英 [ˈθɔːni]

美 [ˈθɔːrni]

adj. 棘手的; 麻烦的; 引起争议的; 有刺的; 多刺的

最高级：thorniest　比较级：thornier　

Collins.1 / BNC.18411 / COCA.13200

牛津词典

adj.

棘手的；麻烦的；引起争议的
causing difficulty or disagreement
1. a thorny question/issue/problem
  棘手的问题
有刺的；多刺的
having thorns
1. a thorny bush
  有刺的灌木

ADJ (植物、树木)带刺的，多刺的
Athornyplant or tree is covered with thorns.
1. ...thorny hawthorn trees.
  长满刺的山楂树
ADJ-GRADED (问题)棘手的，复杂难解的，令人头疼的
If you describe a problem asthorny, you mean that it is very complicated and difficult to solve, and that people are often unwilling to discuss it.
1. ...the thorny issue of immigration policy...
  移民政策这个棘手问题
2. It is essential that we tackle this thorny problem.
  我们很有必要处理这个棘手问题。

adj

The so-called puppy love problem is a thorny issue for all teachers.
老师们大都把早恋看作一个棘手的问题。
There are still a few thorny questions, many of which will not be answerable for some time.
现在还有一些问题没有得到解答。一个最重要的就是一个游戏在不同手机的表现差距多少？
The thorny problem of what happens when the boss is absent.
老板不在时情况会怎样这一棘手问题。
China's cityscape of the problem is that we have to face one of the thorny problems.
当前我国城市风采的题目就是我们不得不面对的棘手困难之一。
It helps answer many thorny questions related to SOA: What services are available?
这可帮助回答很多有关SOA的问题：提供了哪些服务？
For a start, there are thorny issues arising from the Smith recommendations.
首先，史密斯的建议将引发一些棘手的问题。
Tax arbitrage has always been a thorny issue.
税收套利一直是个棘手的问题。
Now we come to the thorny question of cost.
现在我们来讨论成本这个棘手的问题。
China and neighboring countries promoted the integration process and worked together to solve many thorny issues.
促进了互利合作，推进了地区一体化建设，共同努力妥善处理和解决地区的热点问题。
A broad question& but also a thorny one in this circumstance.
这是一个很宽泛的问题，但考虑到提问背景，这也是一个很尖锐的问题。