xiǎo​tí​dà​zuò

to make a mountain out of a molehill

Senses

小题大做/ 小題大做 xiǎo​tí​dà​zuò to make a mountain out of a molehill

To treat a minor matter as a major issue; to make a big fuss over nothing, often implying intentional exaggeration. Originally a term for using a complex writing style meant for the Five Classics on a simpler exam topic from the Four Books.

References

variant 小题大做/小題大做 小题大作/小題大作
variant 小题大作/小題大作 小题大做/小題大做