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  What it means

  Literally “a hard nut to crunch.” This describes a very difficult problem to solve, a tough decision to make, or a formidable person who is hard to convince or defeat. It suggests that the “shell” of the issue is thick and requires a lot of effort to get to the core.

  Vocabulary

  • twardy — hard / tough
  • orzech — nut
  • zgryźć — to crunch / bite through

  Grammar note

  'Zgryzienia' is a gerund (a noun formed from a verb) in the genitive case, following the preposition 'do' (for/to).

  Cultural context

  Poles use this for everything from a difficult math problem to a tricky diplomatic negotiation.

  Beginner

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