鑽牛角尖 zuān niú jiǎo jiān

DEFINITIONS

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

CHARACTERS

鑽 zuān drill, bore; pierce; diamond
牛 niú
HSK 2
cow, ox, bull; KangXi radical93
角 jiǎo
HSK 3
horn; angle, corner; point
尖 jiān
HSK 6
sharp, pointed, acute, keen