IdiomThe Absurd
Chinese
Chinese杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng)
Meaning: To frighten yourself with imaginary fears.
Literally: Bow in the cup, snake in the reflection
Example: “他听到一点声音就以为有小偷，真是杯弓蛇影。” — He hears the slightest noise and thinks it's a burglar; he's afraid of his own shadow.
English equivalent: To be afraid of one's own shadow
Equivalents in other languages
Hebrew: לאכול סרטים (Le'ekhol sratim) Literally: To eat films
English: be afraid of one's own shadow
Origin: From Ying Shao's Fengsu Tongyi (Eastern Han, around 195): Du Xuan, drinking with the magistrate Ying Chen, saw what looked like a snake in his wine cup and fell ill with fear after drinking it. It was the reflection of a crossbow hanging on the wall. A bow in the cup taken for a snake is frightening oneself with imaginary dangers.
More Chinese idioms
- 胸有成竹 (xiōng yǒu chéng zhú) To have a well-formed plan ready before you begin.
- 井底之蛙 (Jǐng dǐ zhī wā) Someone with a narrow, limited worldview.
- 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) Vainly hoping a lucky fluke will repeat itself.
- 塞翁失马 (Sài Wēng shī mǎ) A blessing in disguise; fortune is unpredictable.
- 狐假虎威 (Hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) To bully others using borrowed power.
- 一箭双雕 (Yī jiàn shuāng diāo) To achieve two things with a single act.
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