節上生枝 jié shàng shēng zhī

DEFINITIONS

  1. a new branch grows out of a knot (idiom); fig. side issues keep arising

CHARACTERS

節 jié knot, node, joint; section
上 shàng top; superior, highest; go up, send up
生 shēng life, living, lifetime; birth
枝 zhī branches, limbs; branch off