荊けい棘きょく

noun

wild rose; bramble

Refers to wild rose plants or thorny brambles. The reading ばら is the common modern form; the kanji 荊棘 is literary and rare.

• 道みち端ばたにばらが咲さいていた。

  Wild roses were blooming by the roadside.

noun

briar patch

Only with reading けいきょく

Literary or figurative expression for a thicket of thorns, used with the reading けいきょく. Rare in modern Japanese.

• 古ふるい物もの語がたりでは、荊棘けいきょの茂くのしげみに迷まよい込こむ場ば面めんがある。

  In old tales, there are scenes where characters wander into a briar patch.

noun

obstacle; difficulty; thorn

Only with reading けいきょく

Idiomatic use with the reading けいきょく, meaning a source of trouble or a thorny problem. Rare and literary.

• 人じん生せいの荊棘けいきょを乗くをのり越こえる。

  Overcome the thorns of life.