Translation guide
To criticize small, unimportant details in a way that is annoying or overly fussy.
Express that someone is finding fault with minor, unimportant points.
A common idiomatic phrase meaning 'to pick at the corners of a tiered food box,' i.e., to nitpick or split hairs over trivial details.
He always says things that are just nitpicking.
Literally 'to worry about small things.' A natural way to describe someone who nitpicks or fusses over details.
You don't have to nitpick like that.
Means 'to find fault with someone's words or minor mistakes,' often used for nitpicking in conversation.
She's always nitpicking my slip-ups.
Literally 'fault-finding.' Can be used for nitpicking, though it often implies looking for flaws more generally.
He's always nitpicking other people's work.
A more formal phrase meaning 'to get hung up on minor details.' Suitable for written or formal contexts.
Let's not nitpick; let's focus on the essentials.
There is no single Japanese verb that directly corresponds to 'nitpick.' Using a literal translation like 小さなことをつつく would not be understood. Use the idiomatic phrases provided instead.