鑽牛角尖

Chinese

		an auger; diamond; enter (a hole) an auger; diamond; enter (a hole); probe	something that cannot be solved or is unworthy of being studied in detail; insignificant problem
trad. (鑽牛角尖)		鑽	牛角尖
simp. (钻牛角尖)		钻	牛角尖

Etymology

Popularized by Lao She (1899–1966) in his play 神拳 (Shén Quán, “Magical Boxers”) published in 1960.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zuān niújiǎojiān

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄨㄢ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄢ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zyun³ ngau⁴ gok³ zim¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zuān niújiǎojiān
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄨㄢ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄢ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zuan nióujiǎojian
    • Wade–Giles: tsuan¹ niu²-chiao³-chien¹
    • Yale: dzwān nyóu-jyǎu-jyān
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzuan nioujeaujian
    • Palladius: цзуань нюцзяоцзянь (czuanʹ njuczjaoczjanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡su̯än⁵⁵ ni̯oʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zuānniújiǎojiānr
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄨㄢ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄢㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zuannióujiǎojianr
    • Wade–Giles: tsuan¹-niu²-chiao³-chien¹-ʼrh
    • Yale: dzwān-nyóu-jyǎu-jyānr
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzuannioujeaujial
    • Palladius: цзуаньнюцзяоцзяньр (czuanʹnjuczjaoczjanʹr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡su̯än⁵⁵ ni̯oʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑɻ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zyun³ ngau⁴ gok³ zim¹
    • Yale: jyun ngàuh gok jīm
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzyn³ ngau⁴ gok⁸ dzim¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: jun³ ngeo⁴ gog³ jim¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡syːn³³ ŋɐu̯²¹ kɔːk̚³ t͡siːm⁵⁵/

Verb

鑽牛角尖

1. (idiomatic) to split hairs; to go down a dead end

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 鑽牛角尖 (“to split hairs; to go down a dead end”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		鑽牛角尖, 鑽牛角, 鑽牛犄角
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	鑽牛角尖兒
	Taiwan	鑽牛角尖
	Singapore	鑽牛角尖
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	鑽牛角尖兒
Cantonese	Hong Kong	鑽牛角尖
Southern Min	Xiamen	鑽牛角仔縫