斤斤计较
- Literal
- scrutinizing closely, calculating and comparing
- Figurative
- To fuss over every trivial gain or loss, whether in money or effort, and let nothing slide; it is a reproach, unlike the approving 精打细算.
Where does 斤斤计较 come from?
It does not come from an anecdote. 斤斤 already appears in the Book of Songs, in the ode "Zhijing" among the Zhou hymns, where early commentators gloss it as "to observe clearly and closely." The idiom pairs it with 计较, "to calculate and compare," so that even the smallest amounts get scrutinized. Today it is a reproach, said of someone who won't let the slightest gain or loss go, whether in money, work or favors. It is not the same as 一毛不拔, which means refusing to give anything, nor as 精打细算, which praises careful budgeting.
Source (出处): 《诗经·周颂·执竞》
How is 斤斤计较 used? Two examples
- 朋友之间吃顿饭，连几块钱都斤斤计较，就太伤感情了。
When friends go out to eat and squabble over a few yuan, it really strains the friendship.
- 在单位别总斤斤计较谁多干了一点，把事做完最重要。
At work, don't keep score of who did a little more; what matters is getting the job done.
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