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重箱の隅をつつく (じゅうばこのすみをつつく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

重じゅう箱ばこの隅すみをつつく

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ku)

nitpick; complain about trifles

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'to poke at the corners of a tiered food box', used for someone who fusses over minor, unimportant details.

彼かれはいつも重じゅう箱ばこの隅すみをつつくようなことばかり言いう。
He always says things that are just nitpicking.

そんな重じゅう箱ばこの隅すみをつつくような指し摘てきはやめてください。

Please stop making such nitpicky remarks.

Written forms

重じゅう箱ばこの隅すみをつつく
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling for this idiom.
重箱じゅうばこの隅すみを突つつく
Alternate kanji for つつく; less common but still seen.

Kanji

重heavy, important, esteem
箱box, chest, case
隅corner, nook
突stab, protruding, thrust

Similar words

揚あげ足あしを取とる
Both mean finding fault, but 揚げ足を取る focuses on seizing on someone's slip in speech or action, while 重箱の隅をつつく is about fussing over trivial details.

Etymology

Literally 'to poke at the corners of a 重箱 (jūbako, tiered food box)'. The corners of such a box are hard to clean and insignificant, so poking at them symbolizes worrying about trivial matters. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a well-established idiom.