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.
Arguing over such a small thing is truly a case of fighting over nothing.
会議での意見の違いは、結局は蝸牛角上の争いに過ぎなかった。
The difference of opinion in the meeting turned out to be nothing more than making a mountain out of a molehill.
A more general expression meaning 'to fuss over trifles'; 蝸牛角上の争い is a specific literary idiom with a classical allusion.
A four-character idiom meaning 'exaggeration' or 'making a big deal out of nothing'; 蝸牛角上の争い focuses on the dispute itself rather than the act of exaggerating.
From a classical Chinese story in the Zhuangzi about two kingdoms fighting on a snail's antennae, symbolizing the pettiness of human conflicts.