微びに入いり細さいを穿うがつ

Meanings

expression, godan verb (-tsu)

go into minute details; split hairs

Idiomatic expression meaning to examine or describe something in extremely fine detail, often excessively so. Can carry a nuance of being overly meticulous or pedantic.

彼かれの説せつ明めいは微びに入いり細さいを穿うがつものだった。
His explanation went into the minutest details.
微びに入いり細さいを穿うがつような議ぎ論ろんは避さけよう。
Let's avoid splitting hairs in the discussion.

Written forms

微びに入いり細さいを穿うがつ
Standard kanji form for this idiomatic expression.
微びに入いり細さいをうがつ
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; the verb 穿つ is written in kana.

Kanji

微delicate, minuteness, insignificance
入enter, insert
細dainty, get thin, taper
穿put on (to the feet), dig, pierce

Similar words

細こまかい
細かい is a common adjective meaning 'detailed' or 'fine', while 微に入り細を穿つ is a set phrase emphasizing exhaustive, often excessive, attention to detail.
枝し葉よう末まっ節せつ
枝葉末節 refers to 'minor details' or 'trivialities', whereas 微に入り細を穿つ describes the action of delving into such details.

Etymology

A yojijukugo (four-character idiom) combining 微 (minute), 入り (entering), 細 (fine), and 穿つ (to dig into/pierce), literally 'entering the minute and piercing the fine'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it follows classical Chinese-influenced phrasing.