Nit-picking is looking for tiny faults and talking about them as if they were big.

Nit-picking isNit-picking指的是 looking for tiny faults去找出微不足道的小毛病 and talking about them as if they were big然後把它們講得好像很嚴重。

A nit is a very small egg of a louse, the kind that lives in hair. Long ago, picking nits meant going through hair one by one to find those eggs. The eggs are so small that you have to look too hard, and that picture stuck: a person who picks at every little mistake.

A nit is指的是 a very small egg of a louse蝨子非常小的卵, the kind that lives in hair就是那種住在頭髮裡的蝨子。Long ago很久以前, picking nits meant指的是 going through hair one by one一根一根頭髮翻找 to find those eggs去找出那些卵。The eggs are so small那些卵小到 that you have to look too hard你得非常用力去找, and that picture stuck這個畫面就留了下來: a person who picks at every little mistake一個對每個小錯都挑剔的人。

We use it about people, comments, and meetings. It is not a kind word. If you say someone is nit-picking, you are saying they are being fussy about things that do not really matter. You will see a hyphen (nit-picking) or one word (nitpicking); same idea.

We use it about people, comments, and meetings我們會用它來說人、說評論、說會議。It is not a kind word這不是個好聽的詞。If you say someone is nit-picking如果你說某人在nit-picking, you are saying你的意思是 they are being fussy about things that do not really matter他們對根本不重要的事在挑剔。You will see你會看到 a hyphen (nit-picking)有連字號的nit-picking or one word (nitpicking)也會看到連寫的nitpicking; same idea意思一樣。

Though actually, teachers and editors do need to catch small mistakes — so the word can be a bit unfair. The feeling it carries is “this is too small to make a fuss about.” People say it in everyday talk more than in careful writing.

Though actually不過其實, teachers and editors do need to catch small mistakes老師和編輯本來就需要抓出小錯 — so the word can be a bit unfair所以這個詞有時候不太公平。The feeling it carries is這個字帶有的語感是 "this is too small to make a fuss about."「這事小到不值得大驚小怪」。People say it in everyday talk more than in careful writing大家在日常口語裡說得比在正式寫作裡多。