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荊棘

简荆棘 · 繁荊棘

Mandarin · pinyin jīng jí

thistles and thorns
brambles
thorny undergrowth

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Characters in this entry

荊: Look up this written character
棘: jí · jujube tree; thorns, brambles
荆: jīng · thorns; brambles; my wife; cane

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–2 · jing1 ji2

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

荊棘 · find source passages ↗ · 荆棘 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 5 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ging1 gik1

Cantonese word readings for 荊棘. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

(literally, botany) thistles and thorns; brambles; thorny undergrowth
(literary, figurative) difficult situation; dangerous circumstances
(literary, figurative) scheming sycophant
(literary, figurative) animosity; hostility; ill will; grudge

adj

(literary, figurative) chaotic; disorderly

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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