节外生枝

節外生枝

jiéwàishēngzhī

idiom #45,232

Meanings

1 to sprout branches from a knot
2 new complications arise
3 unexpected hitches

Characters

Examples

事情本来很简单，现在节外生枝了。

Shìqing běnlái hěn jiǎndān, xiànzài jiéwài shēngzhī le.

The matter was simple, but now new complications have arisen.

谈判即将结束，对方却节外生枝。

Tánpàn jíjiāng jiéshù, duìfāng què jiéwài shēngzhī.

Negotiations were about to wrap up, but the other side threw in new demands.

希望这次合作顺利，不要节外生枝。

Xīwàng zhè cì hézuò shùnlì, bú yào jiéwài shēngzhī.

I hope this collaboration goes smoothly without unexpected snags.

Tips

memory

Picture a tree: branches normally grow at the joints (节). Sprouting from outside a joint means growth where it shouldn't be — trouble in the wrong place.

Stroke Order

节 jié

外 wài

生 shēng

枝 zhī