咬文嚼字

She is too genteel for words.

她说话太咬文嚼字了.

This may look like just semantics, but it matters.

这个看上去可能有点咬文嚼字, 但是它很重要.

Instead of deciding the real issue the commentator would chop logic.

这位评论家不去解决实质问题,而总是咬文嚼字.

In the discussion he often seemed petty and pedantic.

在交谈当中,他往往拘泥小节,咬文嚼字.

I don't like splitting hairs.

我不喜欢咬文嚼字.

Have you swallowed a dictionary?

你为何一开口就咬文嚼字?

I hate the rigid definition: It's so ugly, so obvious.

我不喜欢咬文嚼字,这样的做法太叫人不痛快, 也太外露了.

Paying excessive attention to wording doesn't necessarily produce a good essay.

咬文嚼字未必能写出好文章.

They stigmatize these propositions as " trifling " or " merely verbal ".

他们把这些命题贬称为 “ 琐碎 ” 或 “ 只是咬文嚼字罢了 ”.

You needn't mince words in your speech.

你不必咬文嚼字.