你知道為什麼歐美人士會用 “open a can of worms” 來形容「一連串意料之外的複雜情況」嗎？
圖片創作：Copliot AI
你是否曾聽過 “Pandora’s box”（潘朵拉的盒子）這個典故？
那麼你知道它和 “open a can of worms” 這兩個英文諺語之間，有哪些細微的差異嗎？
Origin of “Open a Can of Worms”（「捅馬蜂窩；揭開一連串棘手問題」的起源）
The idiom “open a can of worms” originated in the United States during the 1950s. It was inspired by a common experience among fishermen, who used metal cans filled with live bait worms. Once opened, the worms would often wriggle out and create a messy, hard-to-control situation.
（中譯：「捅馬蜂窩」這個英文慣用語可追溯至1950年代的美國，靈感來自釣魚者打開裝有活蚯蚓的金屬罐作為釣餌。這些蚯蚓一旦跑出來，便可能造成一團混亂、難以收拾。）
Over time, this image became a vivid metaphor for starting something that unintentionally leads to complicated and problematic consequences. The phrase is often compared to “Pandora's box,” but they are not entirely interchangeable.
（中譯：這樣的具體情境後來逐漸被用來比喻：一個原本看似單純的行動，結果引發出許多意料之外且棘手的問題。這個說法經常與“Pandora’s box”（潘朵拉的盒子）相比，但兩者仍有些微差異。）
Usage Examples in Different Contexts（「捅馬蜂窩」在不同情境中的用法）
📌 Workplace Conflict｜職場衝突
Bringing up the budget cuts during the meeting really opened a can of worms—we ended up debating salaries and team structures for hours.（中譯：在會議中提到預算刪減，真的像捅馬蜂窩——我們開始爭論薪資與團隊架構好幾個小時。）
📌 Business Situation｜商業情境
When the CEO suggested restructuring departments, he didn't realize he was opening a can of worms that would lead to months of internal conflict.（中譯：執行長提議重組部門時沒想到這會像捅馬蜂窩，引發數月的內部爭議。）
📌 Political Situation｜政治情境
The investigation into campaign financing opened a can of worms, revealing corruption that extended far beyond the original allegations. （中譯：對競選資金的調查像捅馬蜂窩，揭露出遠超原始指控範圍的腐敗現象。）
📌 Legal Situation｜法律情境
The lawyer warned that challenging the contract clause could open a can of worms regarding other agreements.（中譯：律師警告說，質疑該合約條款可能會像捅馬蜂窩，進一步牽連其他協議。）
📌 Academic Debate｜學術辯論
His thesis on AI ethics opened a can of worms about surveillance and data privacy. （中譯：他的AI倫理論文像捅馬蜂窩，引發對監控與資料隱私的激烈爭論。）
📌 Social Media｜社群媒體
Her tweet about online bullying opened a can of worms in the comments section. （中譯：她那則關於網路霸凌的推文像捅馬蜂窩，留言區瞬間炸鍋。）
📌 Creative Brainstorming｜創作會議
Suggesting we rewrite the ending opened a can of worms—now everyone wants to change the whole plot. （中譯：提議重寫結局像捅馬蜂窩——結果大家都想重整整部劇情。）
📌 Family Drama｜家族糾紛
Asking about grandfather’s will opened a can of worms no one was ready to deal with. （中譯：詢問祖父的遺囑像捅馬蜂窩，揭開了大家都不願面對的問題。）
📌 Personal Relationships｜人際關係
I thought asking about their past relationship was harmless, but it opened a can of worms about trust issues we'd never discussed. （中譯：我以為問他們的過去感情無傷大雅，結果卻像捅馬蜂窩，暴露出從未談過的信任危機。）
總結：Open a Can of Worms vs. Pandora’s Box
Open a can of worms 和 Pandora’s box 雖都用來形容某個行動引發連鎖性、不可預測的麻煩，但兩者意涵略有不同：
· Pandora’s box（潘朵拉的盒子）源自希臘神話，暗指某種原本被封存的災難或邪惡一旦釋放，將引發難以挽回的後果。
· Open a can of worms（捅馬蜂窩）則較常用於揭開表面之下的複雜問題，雖然棘手，但通常透過努力仍有可能解決。
換句話說，潘朵拉的盒子（Pandora’s box）是一種無法逆轉的災難；捅馬蜂窩（Open a can of worms）則是「自找麻煩」，但仍有挽救的餘地。
圖片生成：Copilot AI
