can of worms

a potentially bad situation

STATISTICS

IN THE PRESS

“BEIJING - Putin politely OPENS A CAN of Chinese WORMS - Russian President Vladimir Putin might not have been aware of it, but he was accused by some Chinese political heavyweights of having trespassed into Chinese domestic politics even before he left Beijing.

(Xu Yufan in Asia Times, 21st July 2000)

Did you
know?

A can of worms is a complex situation with the potential to turn nasty.

The single word “can” has some interesting slang meanings in English:

1. A jail or prison

2. A toilet or restroom.

3. A naval destroyer (tin can).    

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