What phrase describes Pandora’s container as a source of many troubles?

The phrase “Pandora’s box” describes a source of many troubles.

In everyday English, opening Pandora’s box means taking an action that creates numerous unexpected problems or releases consequences that are difficult to control. The expression comes from the Greek myth in which Pandora opens a vessel and evils escape into the world, while hope remains inside.

The phrase is a cultural translation rather than a literal description of Hesiod’s original object. Hesiod used the word pithos, meaning a large storage jar. The “box” wording became established through later Latin and European retellings, especially after Renaissance writers popularized the expression.

“Pandora’s box” is an idiom, so it can describe politics, technology, family disputes, or any situation where one decision unleashes complications. It is often confused with “Achilles’ heel,” which means a vulnerable weakness, or “Gordian knot,” which refers to a very difficult problem.