葛藤

figurative sense

From the tendency of the vines of kudzu and rattan to become entangled.

葛藤

1. kudzu plant
2. (figurative, literary) complicated relationships; complications

   • 前一種人真是一把「刀」，一把軋乱麻的快刀！什麼糾紛，什麼葛藤，到了他手裡，都是一刀兩斷。 [MSC, trad.]
     前一种人真是一把「刀」，一把轧乱麻的快刀！什么纠纷，什么葛藤，到了他手里，都是一刀两断。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1925 June 9, Zhu Ziqing, 《山野掇拾》

     Qián yī zhǒng rén zhēn shì yī bǎ “dāo”, yī bǎ yà luànmá de kuàidāo! Shénme jiūfēn, shénme gěténg, dào le tā shǒu lǐ, dōu shì yīdāoliǎngduàn.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

From the tendency of the vines of 葛(かずら) (kazura, “creeper”) or 藤(ふじ) (fuji, “wisteria”) to become entangled.

葛(かっ)藤(とう) • (kattō) 

1. conflict, complications
   • 2012-03-30, mothy [mothy] (lyrics and music), “針音ノ時計塔 [Handbeat Clocktower]”‎:

     時(じ)間(かん)と葛(かっ)藤(とう)を心(こころ)に刻(きざ)みつける

     Jikan to kattō o kokoro ni kizamitsukeru

     Time and conflict, they strongly etch onto my heart

葛(かっ)藤(とう)する • (kattō suru) transitive suru (stem 葛(かっ)藤(とう)し (kattō shi), past 葛(かっ)藤(とう)した (kattō shita))

1. to battle with

葛(つづら)藤(ふじ) or 葛藤(ツヅラフジ) • (tsuzurafuji) 

1. Synonym of 大葛藤 (“Chinese moonseed, Sinomenium acutum”)

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary).

葛藤 • (galdeung) (hangeul 갈등)

1. Hanja form^? of 갈등 (“discord, conflict”).