diff --git a/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/SparkSQLCLIDriver.scala b/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/SparkSQLCLIDriver.scala
index 6abb905eaeee..581aa68b6ba3 100644
--- a/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/SparkSQLCLIDriver.scala
+++ b/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/SparkSQLCLIDriver.scala
@@ -518,15 +518,32 @@ private[hive] class SparkSQLCLIDriver extends CliDriver with Logging {
   // Note: [SPARK-31595] if there is a `'` in a double quoted string, or a `"` in a single quoted
   // string, the origin implementation from Hive will not drop the trailing semicolon as expected,
   // hence we refined this function a little bit.
+  // Note: [SPARK-33100] Ignore a semicolon inside a bracketed comment in spark-sql.
   private def splitSemiColon(line: String): JList[String] = {
     var insideSingleQuote = false
     var insideDoubleQuote = false
-    var insideComment = false
+    var insideSimpleComment = false
+    var bracketedCommentLevel = 0
     var escape = false
     var beginIndex = 0
+    var leavingBracketedComment = false
+    var isStatement = false
     val ret = new JArrayList[String]
 
+    def insideBracketedComment: Boolean = bracketedCommentLevel > 0
+    def insideComment: Boolean = insideSimpleComment || insideBracketedComment
+    def statementInProgress(index: Int): Boolean = isStatement || (!insideComment &&
+      index > beginIndex && !s"${line.charAt(index)}".trim.isEmpty)
+
     for (index <- 0 until line.length) {
+      // Checks if we need to decrement a bracketed comment level; the last character '/' of
+      // bracketed comments is still inside the comment, so `insideBracketedComment` must keep true
+      // in the previous loop and we decrement the level here if needed.
+      if (leavingBracketedComment) {
+        bracketedCommentLevel -= 1
+        leavingBracketedComment = false
+      }
+
       if (line.charAt(index) == '\'' && !insideComment) {
         // take a look to see if it is escaped
         // See the comment above about SPARK-31595
@@ -549,21 +566,34 @@ private[hive] class SparkSQLCLIDriver extends CliDriver with Logging {
           // Sample query: select "quoted value --"
           //                                    ^^ avoids starting a comment if it's inside quotes.
         } else if (hasNext && line.charAt(index + 1) == '-') {
-          // ignore quotes and ;
-          insideComment = true
+          // ignore quotes and ; in simple comment
+          insideSimpleComment = true
         }
       } else if (line.charAt(index) == ';') {
         if (insideSingleQuote || insideDoubleQuote || insideComment) {
           // do not split
         } else {
-          // split, do not include ; itself
-          ret.add(line.substring(beginIndex, index))
+          if (isStatement) {
+            // split, do not include ; itself
+            ret.add(line.substring(beginIndex, index))
+          }
           beginIndex = index + 1
+          isStatement = false
         }
       } else if (line.charAt(index) == '\n') {
-        // with a new line the inline comment should end.
+        // with a new line the inline simple comment should end.
         if (!escape) {
-          insideComment = false
+          insideSimpleComment = false
+        }
+      } else if (line.charAt(index) == '/' && !insideSimpleComment) {
+        val hasNext = index + 1 < line.length
+        if (insideSingleQuote || insideDoubleQuote) {
+          // Ignores '/' in any case of quotes
+        } else if (insideBracketedComment && line.charAt(index - 1) == '*' ) {
+          // Decrements `bracketedCommentLevel` at the beginning of the next loop
+          leavingBracketedComment = true
+        } else if (hasNext && !insideBracketedComment && line.charAt(index + 1) == '*') {
+          bracketedCommentLevel += 1
         }
       }
       // set the escape
@@ -572,8 +602,12 @@ private[hive] class SparkSQLCLIDriver extends CliDriver with Logging {
       } else if (line.charAt(index) == '\\') {
         escape = true
       }
+
+      isStatement = statementInProgress(index)
+    }
+    if (isStatement) {
+      ret.add(line.substring(beginIndex))
     }
-    ret.add(line.substring(beginIndex))
     ret
   }
 }
diff --git a/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/CliSuite.scala b/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/CliSuite.scala
index ea1a371151c3..4a075d301b60 100644
--- a/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/CliSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/hive-thriftserver/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/hive/thriftserver/CliSuite.scala
@@ -551,4 +551,27 @@ class CliSuite extends SparkFunSuite with BeforeAndAfterAll with Logging {
       errorResponses = Seq("AnalysisException"))(
       ("", "Error in query: The second argument of 'date_sub' function needs to be an integer."))
   }
+
+  test("SPARK-33100: Ignore a semicolon inside a bracketed comment in spark-sql") {
+    runCliWithin(4.minute)(
+      "/* SELECT 'test';*/ SELECT 'test';" -> "test",
+      ";;/* SELECT 'test';*/ SELECT 'test';" -> "test",
+      "/* SELECT 'test';*/;; SELECT 'test';" -> "test",
+      "SELECT 'test'; -- SELECT 'test';" -> "test",
+      "SELECT 'test'; /* SELECT 'test';*/;" -> "test",
+      "/*$meta chars{^\\;}*/ SELECT 'test';" -> "test",
+      "/*\nmulti-line\n*/ SELECT 'test';" -> "test",
+      "/*/* multi-level bracketed*/ SELECT 'test';" -> "test"
+    )
+  }
+
+  test("SPARK-33100: test sql statements with hint in bracketed comment") {
+    runCliWithin(2.minute)(
+      "CREATE TEMPORARY VIEW t1 AS SELECT * FROM VALUES(1, 2) AS t1(k, v);" -> "",
+      "CREATE TEMPORARY VIEW t2 AS SELECT * FROM VALUES(2, 1) AS t2(k, v);" -> "",
+      "EXPLAIN SELECT /*+ MERGEJOIN(t1) */ t1.* FROM t1 JOIN t2 ON t1.k = t2.v;" -> "SortMergeJoin",
+      "EXPLAIN SELECT /* + MERGEJOIN(t1) */ t1.* FROM t1 JOIN t2 ON t1.k = t2.v;"
+        -> "BroadcastHashJoin"
+    )
+  }
 }