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

In a specification of hundreds of pages, consistency is a thorny problem.
在一部有着数百页的规格说明里，一致性是一个棘手的问题。
In Japan, though, this is proving a particularly thorny problem.
然而在日本，事实证明这是一个尤其棘手的问题。
Unquestionably, a variety of thorny statistical issues are involved in the analysis of data obtained by the authors.
无可非议，对作者获得的数据进行分析涉及各种棘手的统计问题。
A thorny question handled by consumer councils is the public relations and advertising strategies of the tobacco industry.
消费者委员会处理的一个麻烦问题是烟草公司采取的公关和广告策略。
Its relations with international rulemakers can be thorny: think of the World Trade Organisation.
美国与国际规则制定者之间的关系常常很棘手：例如和世界贸易组织。
The thorny question of states 'rights.
关于国家权利的棘手问题。
The Volvo sale also raises some thorny issues for Ford.
出售沃尔沃也给福特带来了一些棘手的问题。
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。
The stems are as thick as a man's finger and very thorny.
“玫瑰巨人”的枝干多刺，粗细和男人的手指差不多。
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。