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挑三拣四 (tiāo sān jiǎn sì) — to be excessively picky; to nitpick; to find fault unnecessarily

Definition

An idiom meaning someone is overly picky or nitpicking, fault-finding without good reason. Implies excessive, unreasonable choosiness in decisions like buying, hiring, or working.

idiom
to be excessively pickyto nitpickto find fault unnecessarily

Examples

  • 挑三拣四，。
    Tā mǎi dōng xī zǒng shì tiāo sān jiǎn sì, zhè ge bù xíng nà ge bù hǎo.
    He's always picky when shopping—this one's no good, that one's not right.
  • ，挑三拣四。
    Zhāo pìn shí yào rèn zhēn shāi xuǎn, dàn yě bú yào tài tiāo sān jiǎn sì.
    You should screen carefully when hiring, but don't be too choosy.
  • ，，挑三拣四。
    Tā yǐ jīng huàn le sān fèn gōng zuò le, měi cì dōu xián gōng sī bù hǎo, qí shí jiù shì tiāo sān jiǎn sì.
    She's already changed jobs three times, always complaining the company is bad; actually, she's just being too picky.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

挑三pick three
挑tiāopick三sānthree
动宾Verb + object
拣四choose four
拣jiǎnchoose四sìfour
动宾Verb + object

“挑三” means pick three and “拣四” means choose four, suggesting excessive fussiness.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào挑tiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

挑 has 手, meaning hand, and 兆, which gives the sound.

Open 挑 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

三 is drawn as three parallel strokes, like 一 with one stroke and 二 with two.

Open 三 →

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 揀; 拣 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhands
Sound part声符shēngfú
柬
柬jiǎn揀jiǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 揀 pairs 扌 (hands) with 柬, the part that matches its pronunciation; this describes 揀 rather than 拣.

Open 拣 →

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

The form 四 was drawn as a nose breathing out. It later came to be used for the word four.

Open 四 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

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