"can of worms" meaning in All languages combined

See can of worms on Wiktionary

Noun [English]

Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-can of worms.wav [General-American], en-au-can of worms.ogg [Australia] Forms: cans of worms [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun|cans of worms}} can of worms (plural cans of worms)
  1. (idiomatic) A complex, troublesome situation, which produces (or whose resolution will produce) many problems. Tags: idiomatic Translations (a complex, troublesome situation): 棘手的問題 /棘手的问题 (jíshǒu de wèntí) (Chinese Mandarin), soppa (Finnish), sac de nœuds [masculine] (French), Fass [neuter] (German), Fass ohne Boden [neuter] (German), Wespennest [neuter] (German), darázsfészek (Hungarian), aprire il vaso di Pandora (Italian), ゴチャゴチャした状態 (gochagocha-shita jōtai) (Japanese), 困った事態 (komatta jitai) (Japanese), unuhanga taniwha (Māori), tʼóó chąąʼ (Navajo), puszka Pandory [feminine] (Polish), клубо́к пробле́м (klubók problém) [masculine] (Russian), весёленькая исто́рия (vesjólenʹkaja istórija) [ironic] (Russian), melón (colloquial; usu. preceded by the verb abrir) [masculine] (Spanish), avispero [masculine] (Spanish), caja de los truenos [feminine] (Spanish), tuniad o gynrhon (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-can_of_worms-en-noun-uNmy9iUV Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Māori translations, Terms with Navajo translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Welsh translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 82 18 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 72 28 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 72 28 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 87 13 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 77 23 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 79 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 79 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 70 30 Disambiguation of Terms with Māori translations: 78 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Navajo translations: 69 31 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 72 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 79 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 85 15 Disambiguation of Terms with Welsh translations: 65 35 Disambiguation of 'a complex, troublesome situation': 100 0
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see can, worm. Synonyms: kettle of fish, Pandora's box, tar baby Related terms: genie is out of the bottle, hornets' nest
    Sense id: en-can_of_worms-en-noun-eQ11aMQw

Inflected forms

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "cans of worms",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cans of worms"
      },
      "expansion": "can of worms (plural cans of worms)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 28",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 28",
          "kind": "other",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "87 13",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "77 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "79 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "79 21",
          "kind": "other",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "70 30",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 31",
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          "_dis": "72 28",
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          "_dis": "79 21",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "85 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Welsh translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              81,
              93
            ]
          ],
          "text": "If someone gets a promotion that might not be deserved, it could open up a whole can of worms with the other employees.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              49,
              61
            ]
          ],
          "text": "Questioning the decision would definitely open a can of worms.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A complex, troublesome situation, which produces (or whose resolution will produce) many problems."
      ],
      "id": "en-can_of_worms-en-noun-uNmy9iUV",
      "links": [
        [
          "complex",
          "complex"
        ],
        [
          "troublesome",
          "troublesome"
        ],
        [
          "situation",
          "situation"
        ],
        [
          "problem",
          "problem"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A complex, troublesome situation, which produces (or whose resolution will produce) many problems."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "lang_code": "cmn",
          "roman": "jíshǒu de wèntí",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "棘手的問題 /棘手的问题"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "soppa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "sac de nœuds"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Fass"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Fass ohne Boden"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Wespennest"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "darázsfészek"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "aprire il vaso di Pandora"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "lang_code": "ja",
          "roman": "gochagocha-shita jōtai",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "ゴチャゴチャした状態"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "lang_code": "ja",
          "roman": "komatta jitai",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "困った事態"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Māori",
          "lang_code": "mi",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "unuhanga taniwha"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "nv",
          "lang": "Navajo",
          "lang_code": "nv",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "tʼóó chąąʼ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "puszka Pandory"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "klubók problém",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "клубо́к пробле́м"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "vesjólenʹkaja istórija",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "ironic"
          ],
          "word": "весёленькая исто́рия"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "roman": "colloquial; usu. preceded by the verb abrir",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "melón"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "avispero"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "caja de los truenos"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "lang_code": "cy",
          "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
          "word": "tuniad o gynrhon"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see can, worm."
      ],
      "id": "en-can_of_worms-en-noun-eQ11aMQw",
      "links": [
        [
          "can",
          "can#English"
        ],
        [
          "worm",
          "worm#English"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "word": "genie is out of the bottle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "word": "hornets' nest"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "word": "kettle of fish"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "word": "Pandora's box"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 83",
          "word": "tar baby"
        }
      ]
    }
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      "tags": [
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  "word": "can of worms"
}
{
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Māori translations",
    "Terms with Navajo translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Welsh translations"
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      "form": "cans of worms",
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        "plural"
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "genie is out of the bottle"
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    {
      "word": "hornets' nest"
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      "examples": [
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          "bold_text_offsets": [
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              81,
              93
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          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              49,
              61
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          "text": "Questioning the decision would definitely open a can of worms.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A complex, troublesome situation, which produces (or whose resolution will produce) many problems."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "complex",
          "complex"
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        [
          "troublesome",
          "troublesome"
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        [
          "situation",
          "situation"
        ],
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          "problem"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A complex, troublesome situation, which produces (or whose resolution will produce) many problems."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see can, worm."
      ],
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          "can#English"
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          "worm#English"
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      "tags": [
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "kettle of fish"
    },
    {
      "word": "Pandora's box"
    },
    {
      "word": "tar baby"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "lang_code": "cmn",
      "roman": "jíshǒu de wèntí",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "棘手的問題 /棘手的问题"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "soppa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "sac de nœuds"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Fass"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Fass ohne Boden"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Wespennest"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "darázsfészek"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "aprire il vaso di Pandora"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "lang_code": "ja",
      "roman": "gochagocha-shita jōtai",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "ゴチャゴチャした状態"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "lang_code": "ja",
      "roman": "komatta jitai",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "困った事態"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Māori",
      "lang_code": "mi",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "unuhanga taniwha"
    },
    {
      "code": "nv",
      "lang": "Navajo",
      "lang_code": "nv",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "tʼóó chąąʼ"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "puszka Pandory"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "klubók problém",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "клубо́к пробле́м"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "vesjólenʹkaja istórija",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "ironic"
      ],
      "word": "весёленькая исто́рия"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "roman": "colloquial; usu. preceded by the verb abrir",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "melón"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "avispero"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "caja de los truenos"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "lang_code": "cy",
      "sense": "a complex, troublesome situation",
      "word": "tuniad o gynrhon"
    }
  ],
  "word": "can of worms"
}

Download raw JSONL data for can of worms meaning in All languages combined (5.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-09-20 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (d6fca27 and 65e1673). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.