庸人自扰
庸人自扰 (yōng rén zì rǎo) literally means “mediocre person self-disturbs” and expresses “creating unnecessary troubles for oneself”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: yong ren zi rao, yong ren zi rao,庸人自扰 meaning, 庸人自扰 in english
Creating unnecessary troubles for oneself
Pronunciation: yōng rén zì rǎo Literal meaning: Mediocre person self-disturbs
Origin & Usage
This psychological idiom describes how unremarkable people (庸人) trouble themselves (自扰) with imagined concerns, originating from Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming's writings. He observed how ordinary minds generate unnecessary suffering through excessive rumination. The phrase gained popularity during the Qing Dynasty in literary works examining human folly. The identification with mediocrity was particularly meaningful in Confucian culture, suggesting superior minds avoid such self-created anxiety. Modern usage describes the universal human tendency to generate psychological distress without external causes, particularly relevant in today's anxiety-prone society.
When to Use
Situation: She created imaginary problems and spent days worrying about scenarios that never materialized
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 庸人自扰 mean in English?
庸人自扰 (yōng rén zì rǎo) literally translates to “Mediocre person self-disturbs” and is used to express “Creating unnecessary troubles for oneself”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 庸人自扰 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving creating unnecessary troubles for oneself.
What is the pinyin for 庸人自扰?
The pinyin pronunciation for 庸人自扰 is “yōng rén zì rǎo”.