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  What it means

  Literally “to poke a stick into an anthill.” This idiom describes an action or statement that disrupts a peaceful (or stagnant) situation, causing everyone to react with excitement, anger, or frantic activity. It’s about intentionally stirring up trouble or a heated debate.

  Vocabulary

  • wsadzać — to insert / poke / put in
  • kij — stick
  • mrowisko — anthill

  Grammar note

  'Mrowisko' is in the accusative case. 'Wsadzać' is the imperfective form (doing it); 'wsadzić' is the perfective (having done it).

  Cultural context

  Often used in journalism to describe a controversial article or a politician who says something that breaks a long-standing taboo.

  Intermediate

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