盘根错节
pán​gēn​cuò​jié

complicated and deep-rooted

  1. 盘 盤 pán verbnoun
    to coil
    to coil; to wind; to twist; to sit with legs crossed
  2. 根 gēn noun
    root (botany, family)
    the root of a plant; the part that grows underground to absorb nutrients; also refers to a child who carries on a family line
  3. 错 錯 cuò adjective
    to interlock
    to be interlocked; to alternate; to be complex or crisscrossed
  4. 节 節 jié noun
    joint
    joint or node of a plant; joint in the body of a human or animal