On reflection I actually have no idea what the 雕 in 雕虫小技 is doing there… but I haven't got the patience to chew Baidu today and it's almost lunchtime, so 花雕酒 it is LOL (aka one of several things that you occasionally see just referred to in recipes as "Chinese cooking wine", thanks for that infuriatingly helpful description!!1!)

Also I had to cheat and look up the other half of that one because I only had a vague impression of it: 远亲不如近邻! Extra relatable in the age of online pocketfriends 🥲