大惊小怪

النطق: dà jīng xiǎo guài المعنى الحرفي: Big surprise small strange

الأصل والاستخدام

This idiom describes making big (大) surprise (惊) over small (小) strange things (怪) - overreacting to minor matters. The phrase criticizes disproportionate responses to insignificant events. It appeared in Ming Dynasty texts criticizing those who lacked composure. The contrast between 'big' surprise and 'small' cause highlights the mismatch. Modern usage gently criticizes unnecessary alarm or excessive reactions to trivial matters, encouraging proportionate responses.

أمثلة

الإنجليزية: "Don't make such a fuss over a minor mistake."

الصينية: 不要为小错误大惊小怪。