noun-modifying (irregular)
farfetched; overly subtle; too clever by half
Describes an interpretation, remark, or analysis that is excessively deep, subtle, or strained, often missing the obvious. The base verb 穿つ means 'to dig into' or 'to probe deeply', and 過ぎた adds 'too much'. Used prenominally as a fixed expression.
彼の穿ち過ぎた解釈には誰も納得しなかった。
Nobody was convinced by his farfetched interpretation.
それは穿ち過ぎた見方だと思う。
I think that's an overly subtle way of looking at it.
穿つ is the base verb meaning 'to dig into', 'to probe deeply', or 'to make a penetrating remark'. 穿ち過ぎた is its derived prenominal form meaning 'overly penetrating' or 'farfetched'.
深読み means 'reading too much into something' or 'overinterpretation'. 穿ち過ぎた emphasizes the strained or farfetched nature of the interpretation, while 深読み focuses on the act of over-reading.
From the verb 穿つ (to dig into, probe) in its continuative form 穿ち + 過ぎた (past/attributive form of 過ぎる, 'to exceed'), literally 'having dug too much'. The figurative sense of 'farfetched' developed from the idea of probing too deeply into a matter.