Idiom: 杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng)
Literal Meaning: “A bow reflected in a cup looks like a snake.”
Explanation: This idiom comes from a story about a man who saw the reflection of a bow in his cup and thought it was a snake. He became so frightened that he fell ill. Later, he discovered it was just the shadow of a bow and realized his fear was unnecessary. This idiom refers to being overly suspicious or letting one’s imagination create unnecessary fear.
Chinese Idiom Stories
Once upon a time in ancient China, a man invited his friend over for a drink. As they were chatting and enjoying their time, the friend saw something strange in his cup of wine—a snake! He became so terrified that he could barely continue drinking, convinced that a snake had somehow gotten into his cup.
The friend returned home feeling sick, convinced that he had been poisoned. Days later, the host visited him, confused about his friend’s sudden illness. After explaining what had happened, they inspected the room and discovered the truth—the “snake” was just the reflection of a bow hanging on the wall. Realizing his mistake, the friend’s fear vanished, and he recovered from his illness immediately.
This idiom teaches us not to let our imaginations run wild and to avoid unnecessary suspicion.
Practice Exercise:
1. Short Answer:
Write a situation where someone might experience “杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng)” in everyday life.
2. Sentence Creation:
Use “杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng)” to describe a situation where someone is being overly paranoid.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following best describes the meaning of “杯弓蛇影”?
A. Facing a real danger
B. Imagining something dangerous when it’s not real
C. Seeing a real snake in a cup
D. Drinking from a suspicious cup
(Answer: B)
2. How can you use “杯弓蛇影” in a sentence?
A. He saw a spider and screamed, but it was only a shadow—he was experiencing “杯弓蛇影.”
B. I saw a bird flying and thought it was a plane.
C. She found a real snake in her bag.
D. He was sure the food was poisoned because it smelled strange.
(Answer: A)
