(colloquial) a difficult, fussy, or hot-tempered person who is hard to deal with; someone who is often stubborn or prone to making trouble

the gooseberry fruit or plant

A perennial herb with purple-red flowers and thorny leaves used in food and traditional medicine; also called [[小蓟|小薊|xiao3 ji4]] or [[青刺蓟|青刺薊|qing1 ci4 ji4]]

biting or sarcastic remarks that make people feel uncomfortable; stinging words

to have thorns or prickles; (figuratively) to have a biting or stinging tone in one's speech

to look for flaws or pick holes in something in order to criticize it; colloquial

To nitpick or intentionally look for minor flaws in someone's speech or actions; to be hypercritical.

to find fault or carp; to be unnecessarily critical

To pick a quarrel intentionally; to be sarcastic or overbearing

a grass thorn; (figuratively) a very tiny thing, an insignificant trifle, or something of extremely little value

to intentionally cause trouble or look for flaws; to be provocative