杯弓蛇影

bēigōngshéyǐng

mistake the reflection of a bow in the cup for a snake—extremely suspicious; be jittery with imaginary fears; overly suspicious, paranoid

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extremely suspicious

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extremely suspicious

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bēi gōng shé yǐng

adj. extremely suspicious

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bei1 gong1 she2 ying3

lit. to see a bow reflected in a cup as a snake (idiom); fig. unnecessary suspicions, overly fearful

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杯弓蛇影

bēi gōng shé yǐng

mistake the shadow of a bow in one's cup as a snake -- a false alarm (self-created suspision); atmosphere of fear and admonition; be frightened by the shadow of the snake in a beaker; be jittery with imaginary fear; be (like) the shadow of the snake in the cup; see serpent's image in wine cup; shy at a shadow; take alarm at the shadow of a bow in the cup (as a serpent's image); The bow in the cup had the appearance of a snake.

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杯弓蛇影|杯弓蛇影 [bēi gōng shé yǐng] ► lit. to see a bow reflected in a cup as a snake (idiom); fig. unnecessary suspicions ► overly fearful