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): ㄗㄨㄢㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄐㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄢ
Cantonese (Jyutping): zyun³ ngau⁴ gok³ zim¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zuān niújiǎojiān
  - Zhuyin: ㄗㄨㄢㄋㄧㄡˊ 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 ni̯oʊ̯³⁵⁻⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zuānniújiǎojiānr
  - Zhuyin: ㄗㄨㄢㄋㄧㄡˊ 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 ni̯oʊ̯³⁵⁻⁵⁵ 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): /t͡ʃyːn³³ ŋɐu̯²¹ kɔːk̚³ t͡siːm⁵⁵/

Verb

鑽牛角尖

(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
Mandarin	Beijing	鑽牛角尖兒
	Taiwan	鑽牛角尖
	Yantai (Muping)	鑽牛角尖兒
	Singapore	鑽牛角尖
Cantonese	Hong Kong	鑽牛角尖
Min Nan	Xiamen	鑽牛角仔縫

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