Idiom: 杞人憂天 (Qǐ rén yōu tiān)
Literal Meaning: A man from Qi worries about the sky falling.
Explanation: refers to worrying needlessly about unlikely or impossible events, similar to the English phrase “to worry about nothing.”
Chinese Idiom Stories
The Man Who Worried About the Sky Falling
There was once a man from the state of Qi who was so worried about the sky falling that he couldn’t sleep or eat. He spent his days and nights under his bed, fearing that the sky would suddenly collapse on him.
His neighbors tried to reassure him that the sky would never fall, but he refused to listen. They thought he was being silly and laughed at him.
The phrase “杞人憂天” (qǐ rén yōu tiān) comes from this story. It is used to describe someone who worries excessively about things that are very unlikely to happen.
杞人憂天
杞國有個人，他成天擔心天會塌下來，吃不下飯，睡不著覺。他整天躲在床底下，害怕天突然塌下來砸到自己。
他的鄰居們都勸他，天怎麼可能塌下來呢？但他就是不聽。鄰居們覺得他很傻，就笑他。
後來，「杞人憂天」這個成語就從這個故事流傳下來了。我們用這個成語來形容那些過度擔心一些不可能發生的事情的人。
Idiom Example Sentences
- 不要杞人憂天了，事情總會有解決的辦法的。
- Bùyào qǐ rén yōu tiān le, shìqing zǒng huì yǒu jiějué de bànfǎ de.
- Don’t worry unnecessarily. There’s always a solution to every problem.
- 你這樣杞人憂天，對身體不好。
- Nǐ zhèyàng qǐ rén yōu tiān, duì shēntǐ bù hǎo.
- Worrying excessively like this is bad for your health.
Practice Exercise
How to use the idiom? (成語用法練習)
- Try to create a sentence using “杞人憂天” to describe someone worrying too much.
- Example: 你這樣杞人憂天只會讓自己壓力更大。
(Nǐ zhèyàng Qǐ rén yōu tiān zhǐ huì ràng zìjǐ yālì gèng dà.)
You’re worrying about nothing and only making yourself more stressed.
- Example: 你這樣杞人憂天只會讓自己壓力更大。
Multiple Choice Questions
Which situation best fits the meaning of “杞人憂天”?
A. Someone worrying about whether the sun will rise tomorrow.
B. Someone who plans their tasks carefully for tomorrow.
C. Someone making preparations for a trip next week.
D. Someone who is excited for an upcoming holiday.
Correct answer: A
