Meaning of A CAN OF WORMS - A Really Short English Lesson with Subtitles

So a can of worms isn't actually a can filled with worms.

Do you know what worms are?

They're the little pink wriggly things

that live in the soil.

But in English, when we say something

is like opening a can of worms,

it means that we are starting something

that is really complex,

really confusing, maybe really difficult.

Sometimes when you mention politics

in a discussion with someone,

it is like opening a can of worms.

You have started talking about something

that might cause you to argue.

You have started having a conversation

that is like opening a can of worms

because it is so complex and difficult.

The same thing can happen

when you start a conversation with someone

about their sports teams.

It could be a real can of worms.

It could be like opening a can of worms

when you say that their sports team isn't very good.

This is a lot different than a barrel of monkeys. (laughs)

A barrel of monkeys, you know what monkeys are, right?

They go, oo, oo, oo, and they live in zoos

and out in the jungle.

A barrel of monkeys is considered really, really fun.

So if you say that someone

is more fun than a barrel of monkeys

or as fun as a barrel of monkeys,

it means that they are a super fun person

to hang around with.

So again, can of worms, not a good thing.

Barrel of monkeys, really good thing,

and lots and lots of fun.

I hope in your life you have more fun

than a barrel of monkeys,

and that you don't often have to open a can of worms.