Jīdàn lĭ tiāo gútou (鸡蛋里挑骨头) literally means "to pick bones from an egg." Jīdàn means egg, lĭ means to be inside something, tiāo means to pick and gútou means bones.

Obviously, there are no bones to be found in eggs, even Chinese eggs, so the saying refers to someone trying to bring out things that aren't there to begin with. Making mountains out of molehills, the English equivalent goes.

Usually, this saying is used in a negative way, mostly to describe people who are never satisfied. It can also be used to refer to situations where a person loses sight of the big picture because of too much nitpicking about the most unimportant details.

Many who have engaged in business negotiations with Chinese might have noticed situations that fit the saying perfectly, especially since there are marked differences between Western and Chinese business cultures. Westerners approach the negotiating table thinking that if the big points are agreed upon, the details will sort themselves out. On the other hand, the Chinese might focus on the details and want to spend hours discussing them. The situation might be a bit confusing if neither side can agree on what needs to be discussed.

For the Chinese, going around the bush this way is natural. The deal should be sealed only after a period of getting to know the other party. It's not a question then of sticking to petty details, but rather of coming from different perspectives. The Western businessman wants to get straight to the point, while the Chinese could approach a situation indirectly and in many different ways.

The saying jīdàn lĭ tiāo gútou can often be found in Chinese media, usually in articles relating to education or employment. The reason is that competition for places in schools and for jobs is so fierce that in choosing a candidate, the smallest detail can make a difference. If there are really many competent and talented candidates or if all applicants to a university get top marks, then the one who gets the place is the one who seems to know more, no matter how trivial -- even if that extra knowledge doesn't seem to have any relevance to the position at all.