a profit as small as the point of an awl or a knife ? ～，將盡爭(zhēng)之。(《左傳·昭六年》) They will all be contending about a matter as small as the point of an awl or a knife.
錐刀之末zhui dao zhi mo
petty profits
錐刀之末zhuī dāo zhī mò
錐子和刀子的尖。比喻微小的利益。little profits, a matter as small as the point of an awl or a knife, negligible profits