蝸か牛ぎゅう角かく上じょうの争あらそい

expression, noun

fighting over nothing; making a mountain out of a molehill

Idiomatic expression derived from a classical Chinese story about a battle on a snail's antennae, used to describe trivial disputes or fussing over insignificant matters.

• そんな小ちいさなことで争あらそうのは、まさに蝸か牛ぎゅう角かく上じょうの争あらそいだ。

  Arguing over such a small thing is truly a case of fighting over nothing.

• 会かい議ぎでの意い見けんの違ちがいは、結けっ局きょくは蝸か牛ぎゅう角かく上じょうの争あらそいに過すぎなかった。

  The difference of opinion in the meeting turned out to be nothing more than making a mountain out of a molehill.