枝葉末節(しようまっせつ)

しようまっせつ
noun
trivial details; nonessentials
formalidiomabstract
1. trivial details; minor points; nonessentials
Unimportant details far from the heart of a matter. A four-character idiom used to criticize getting caught up in side issues.
枝葉末節(しようまっせつ)にこだわる。
To get hung up on trivial details.
それは枝葉末節(しようまっせつ)の問題(もんだい)にすぎない。
That is only a minor point.
会議(かいぎ)では枝葉末節(しようまっせつ)の議論(ぎろん)ばかりで、肝心(かんじん)の予算(よさん)の話(はなし)が進(すす)まなかった。
The meeting argued over nothing but minor points, and the budget, which was what mattered, got nowhere.

枝葉(しよう) (branches and leaves) + 末節(まっせつ) (the far ends of the joints): the parts farthest from the trunk. Inside this idiom the first two kanji take their on-readings (shi-you), not the everyday reading eda-ha.

Common collocations

  • 枝葉末節(しようまっせつ)にこだわる / とらわれる: to get caught up in trivia
  • 枝葉末節(しようまっせつ)を省(はぶ)く: to leave out the details

Similar words

Related Words

Antonym: 本質(ほんしつ) (the essence)
general
Added 2026.10.2 4:37 · Revised 2026.10.2 4:41
31000/31415_shiyoumassetsu