splitting hairs
arguing over trivial distinctions
In Spanish
hilar muy fino, buscarle tres pies al gato
Examples
- We're splitting hairs at this point — let's just pick one and move on.
- The debate turned into splitting hairs over the exact wording of the proposal.
- Instead of solving the issue, they spent hours splitting hairs about minor details.
When it's used
'Splitting hairs' is commonly used in informal conversations when someone is arguing over insignificant differences. You're more likely to hear it in situations where a practical decision needs to be made and someone is being overly pedantic. It's not a formal expression and is rarely used in academic writing.
The common mistake
A common mistake is using the phrase in overly formal contexts, such as in an academic essay. Also, some Spanish speakers might try to literally translate the expression 'buscarle tres pies al gato', which makes no sense in English.