钻牛角尖 (zuān niújiǎojiān) to take unnecessary pains to study an insignificant problem; get into a blind alley
Usage:
“牛角尖”指很小的地方或细节。“钻牛角尖”带有贬义,指某人过于关注那些不重要的小地方或者是暂时不能解决的问题。常用来形容某人对一些目前不必要或不值得研究的问题过于认真,含有批评的语气 。
"牛角尖(niújiǎojiān)" refers to the trivial or unimportant details. The phrase "钻牛角尖(zuān niújiǎojiān)" has a negative meaning which is commonly used to criticize those people who pay too much attention to small details or problems that cannot be solved for the moment.
Sentences:
1、 想问题思路要广一些,不要总是在一个地方钻牛角尖。
Xiǎng wèntí sīlù yào guǎng yìxiē ,búyào zǒngshì zài yí gè dìfang zuān niújiǎojiān.
Do have a bigger picture of the matter instead of attaching much importance to one aspect.
2、 Búyào zǒng shì zuān niújiǎojiān, yìzhí xiǎng nàxiē bù kāixīn de shì.
不要总是钻牛角尖,一直想那些不开心的事。
Do not dwell on the unhappy things any more.