JI MAO SUAN PI

Once upon a time, in China (obviously), there were two neighboring families. One family slaughtered chickens for a living, and the other ran a restaurant...a very garlicky restaurant.

The family who slaughtered chickens had to pluck the chicken feathers every morning and would leave their floors a mess. The family with the restaurant would peel garlic and leave the shavings all over their floors. This mess took place almost every day. 

Now, when the wind blows, sometimes the chicken feathers would fly over to the garlic side. And other times, the garlic peel would find itself being blown over to the chicken feather side. Both families would get upset and blamed the other party for the mess. Even though both are technically responsible.

They brought this issue up to the magistrate who immediately dismissed the problem as soon as he read: chicken feathers and garlic peel. 

Ever since then, the Chinese would refer to trivial matters as "chicken feathers and garlic peel."

Moral of the idiom: don't wait for small things to turn into something big

ORIGINAL IDIOM: 鸡毛蒜皮

很早以前，有两家邻居。两家生活很艰苦，卖鸡的要早起拔鸡毛，弄的满地全是毛。卖蒜的要早起剥蒜皮，弄的满地都是蒜皮。

本来两家相安无事，但一刮风就出事了。刮东风时，鸡毛会吹到卖蒜的家院子里。刮西风时，蒜皮会吹进卖鸡家的院子里。两家会经常为这些事争吵。

有一次，两家矛盾升级了。卖鸡的和卖蒜的打起来了，双双负伤，最后对簿公堂。县官一看是为了 “鸡毛” 和 “蒜皮” 这样的小事，便说 “这等鸡毛和蒜皮的小事也来对簿公堂！每人十大板，回去反省吧！“ 后来，鸡毛蒜皮便传开了。人们渐渐用来形容那些琐碎，不起眼的事，或价值很小的东西。