zuān​niú​jī​jiǎo

to split hairs

Senses

钻牛犄角/ 鑽牛犄角 zuān​niú​jī​jiǎo (also zuān​niú​jī​jiao) to split hairs

To waste time on insignificant details or reach a dead end due to stubbornness; to get stuck in a narrow way of thinking.

References

variant 钻牛角尖/鑽牛角尖 → 钻牛犄角/鑽牛犄角