chōu​dāo​zhǎn​luàn​má

cut the Gordian knot

  1. to pull out
    To pull or take out something from in between other things, such as drawing a sword or pulling silk from a cocoon
  2. knife
    knife; blade; single-edged sword; any tool used for cutting, slicing, or carving
  3. to chop
    to chop; to cut through; to sever; to hack with a blade
  4. mess
    a tangled skein; a hodgepodge; a situation that is extremely confused or lacks a clear starting point