scolding; faultfinding; nagging
Refers to persistent, often petty verbal criticism or nagging, typically in personal relationships.
I'm fed up with my mother's constant nagging.
He doesn't seem to mind his wife's faultfinding.
Compound of 口 (mouth, speech) and 小言 (scolding, complaint). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination reinforces the idea of verbal nagging.