鑽牛角尖 zuān niú jiǎo jiān

to split hairs

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to split hairs
  2. 2. lit. to penetrate into a bull's horn (idiom); fig. to waste time on an insoluble or insignificant problem
  3. 3. a blind alley
  4. 4. to bash one's head against a brick wall
  5. 5. a wild goose chase

Characters

Character Meaning
鑽 zuān
to drill; to get into; to thread one's way through
牛 niú HSK 2
cow; ox; bull
角 jiǎo HSK 3
corner; angle
尖 jiān HSK 6
sharp; pointed; point (of needle)