Ever get really worked up over something, only to realize it was all in your head? The chengyu 杯弓蛇影bēigōngshéyǐng – which literally translates to “a snake in a cup” – describes getting paranoid over nothing. It can be used to describe hypochondria, jumping at shadows, or panicking without a strong basis to do so.
Here are a few examples of this idiom being used in real sentences:
- 最近网络上传言太多，搞得大家杯弓蛇影，看到什么新闻都不敢相信了。
“There have been too many rumors online lately, making everyone suspicious of everything. Now, whenever people see any news, they don’t dare to believe it.” - 他只是打了个喷嚏，你就担心他得了重感冒，你也太杯弓蛇影了。
“He just sneezed, and you’re already worried he has a bad cold. You are being ridiculously oversensitive.)” - 其实他只是今天没有跟你打招呼，说不定是没看见你，你就别杯弓蛇影，担心他是不是生你的气了。
(Actually, the only thing that happened is that he didn’t say hello to you today; maybe he just didn’t see you. Don’t be so paranoid and worry that he might be angry with you.)
Key vocab
好客 – hàokè – hospitable
举杯 – jǔbēi – to raise one’s cup
恶心 – ěxīn – nauseous; disgusted
忧心忡忡 – yōuxīnchōngchōng – deeply worried; anxious
茶饭不思 – cháfànbùsī – to lose one’s appetite (from worry)
支支吾吾 – zhīzhīwúwú – to hem and haw; to stammer
栩栩如生 – xǔxǔrúshēng – lifelike; vivid
恍然大悟 – huǎngrándàwù – to suddenly realize; to see the light
烟消云散 – yānxiāoyúnsàn – to vanish like smoke; to disappear completely
杯弓蛇影
西晋时，有一个叫乐广的人，他非常好客，常常邀请朋友到家中喝酒聊天。
有一次，他请一位朋友来家里喝酒。那位朋友正举杯要喝时，突然低头一看，发现自己的酒杯里仿佛有一条小蛇在游动。他顿时感到一阵恶心，但碍于情面，还是硬着头皮把酒喝了下去。
喝完酒后，这位朋友回到家，越想越不对劲，总觉得那条蛇已经进了自己的肚子里。从那以后，他整天忧心忡忡，茶饭不思，最终病倒在床，吃什么药都不见效。
乐广听说朋友病重的消息，赶忙前去探望。朋友支支吾吾地说出了实情：“上次在你家喝酒时，我不小心把一条蛇喝进了肚子里。”
乐广觉得非常奇怪，回到家后在大厅里走来走去，反复思索。突然，他抬头看见了墙壁上挂着一张彩色的角弓，弓上用漆画着一条栩栩如生的蛇。他心中一动，立刻明白了。
于是，乐广再次把朋友请到家中，仍旧让他坐在原来的位置，并给他倒上一杯酒。朋友低头一看，惊叫起来：“蛇！又有一条蛇！”乐广哈哈大笑，指着墙上的弓说：“你再看清楚，杯子里面的，不过是墙上那张弓的影子罢了！”
朋友疑惑地抬头看看墙上的弓，又低头看看杯中的“蛇”，这才恍然大悟，原来自己一直以为喝下去的那条蛇，不过是弓的倒影。他心里的疑虑和恐惧瞬间烟消云散，沉重的病情也立刻好转了。