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吹毛求疵 (chuī máo qiú cī) — to nitpick, to find fault deliberately

Definition

A chengyu meaning to nitpick — to look for tiny, deliberate faults where none really matter. Carries a negative tone; describes a person being unreasonably picky, not careful work.

idiom
to nitpickto find fault deliberately

Examples

  • 吹毛求疵，。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan chuī máo qiú cī, duì měi gè xì jié dōu bù mǎn yì.
    He always likes to nitpick and is dissatisfied with every detail.
  • ，吹毛求疵。
    Zhè piān bào gào xiě dé bú cuò, nǐ jiù bié chuī máo qiú cī le.
    This report is well written, so don't nitpick it.
  • ，吹毛求疵。
    Zuò wéi lǐng dǎo, chuī máo qiú cī zhī huì dǎ jī yuán gōng de jī jí xìng.
    As a leader, nitpicking will only dampen employees' motivation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

吹毛blow fur
吹chuīblow毛máofur/hair
动宾Verb + object
求疵seek flaws
求qiúseek疵cīflaw
动宾Verb + object

“吹毛” is blowing away fur and “求疵” is seeking flaws, so together they mean nitpicking.

Characters in this word

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

吹 pairs 口 (mouth) with 欠 (blow), giving the picture of air being blown from the mouth.

Open 吹 →

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

毛 is drawn as a feather or hair, with its strokes tracing the shape of the feather or hair.

Open 毛 →

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

求 began as a drawing of a centipede.

Open 求 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in
Conflict & AgreementIdioms & Set Phrases

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