Definition
吹毛求疵 is a four-character idiom that literally means 'blow apart the fur to look for a flaw' — it describes the act of deliberately looking for tiny imperfections in something that is otherwise fine. You can use it to criticize someone who is overly critical or who nitpicks over trivial details. It carries a negative tone and is often used in workplace or evaluation contexts.
f.e.
to nitpickto find fault deliberately
Examples
- 吹毛求疵，。Tā zǒng xǐhuan chuī máo qiú cī, duì měi ge xìjié dōu bù mǎnyì.He always likes to nitpick and is dissatisfied with every detail.
- ，吹毛求疵。Zhè piān bàogào xiě de búcuò, nǐ jiù bié chuī máo qiú cī le.This report is well written, so don't nitpick it.
- ，吹毛求疵。Zuòwéi lǐngdǎo, chuī máo qiú cī zhǐ huì dǎjī yuángōng de jījíxìng.As a leader, nitpicking will only dampen employees' motivation.
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