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钻牛角尖 (zuān niú jiǎo jiān) — to waste time on an insignificant or unsolvable problem; to split hairs

Definition

An idiom meaning to obsess over a trivial or unsolvable problem — like 'splitting hairs' or 'bashing your head against a wall'. Used as a verb or noun for the futile overthinking itself.

verb
to waste time on an insignificant or unsolvable problemto split hairs

Examples

  • 钻牛角尖，。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan zuān niú jiǎo jiān, tǎo lùn yì xiē méi yòng de wèn tí.
    He always likes to split hairs, discussing useless problems.
  • 钻牛角尖，。
    Bié zuān niú jiǎo jiān le, zhè ge wèn tí gēn běn bú zhòng yào.
    Don't waste time on this trivial problem; it's not important at all.
  • 钻牛角尖，。
    Nǐ zhè yàng zuò shì zài zuān niú jiǎo jiān, bù rú huàn gè fāng fǎ.
    You're bashing your head against a brick wall doing this; better to change your approach.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鑽; 钻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
贊
贊zàn鑽zuàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鑽 pairs 釒 (metal) with 贊, which gives the sound; the simplified 钻 is a later shorthand.

Open 钻 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

牛 is drawn as a bull's head, with two horns and two ears.

Open 牛 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 角 is a picture of a horn.

Open 角 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

尖 puts 小 (small) above 大 (large), showing the width of an object gradually changing from small to large.

Open 尖 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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