groundless fear from suspicion; jittery from paranoia
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to be frightened due to unfounded suspicion; to be jittery from groundless fears
literaryAllusion to water buffaloes in the Wu region (Jiangsu/Zhejiang) who fear heat and pant when they see the moon, mistaking it for the sun. Derived from Han Dynasty scholar Ying Shao's 'Fengsu Tong' (Customs and Traditions).
Nǐ你
bù不
bì必
wú吴
niú牛
chuǎn喘
yuè月
，
qí其
shí实
méi没
rén人
yào要
hài害
nǐ你
。
You don't need to be like the Wu buffalo panting at the moon—actually, no one is out to get you.
Tā他
zǒng总
shì是
wú吴
niú牛
chuǎn喘
yuè月
，
duì对
měi每
gè个
rén人
dōu都
chōng充
mǎn满
jiè戒
bèi备
。
He is always jittery from groundless fears, maintaining vigilance against everyone.
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Zhè这
zhǒng种
wú吴
niú牛
chuǎn喘
yuè月
de的
xīn心
tài态
，
zhǐ只
huì会
ràng让
zì自
jǐ己
huó活
de得
hěn很
lèi累
。
This kind of paranoid mindset only makes life exhausting.
Bié别
wú吴
niú牛
chuǎn喘
yuè月
le了
，
nà那
zhǐ只
shì是
fēng风
chuī吹
dòng动
le了
chuāng窗
lián帘
。
Stop being frightened by shadows—it was just the wind moving the curtains.