- 一筋縄
- ひとすじなわ【一筋縄】¶彼は~ではいかないHe is very hard to deal with. 扱うのが難しい.* * *ひとすじなわ【一筋縄】
●一筋縄ではいかない be very hard to manage [deal with]
・一筋縄ではいかない問題 a very difficult problem to deal with; an intractable [a very difficult, a very tough] problem
・あいつは一筋縄でいく男ではない. He is very hard to deal with. | He is a tough [an ugly, an awkward] customer.
・世の中は何事も一筋縄ではいかない. Nothing is simple (in this world of ours).
Japanese-English dictionary. 2013.