草木皆兵
草木皆兵 (cǎo mù jiē bīng) literally means “grass trees all soldiers” and expresses “extreme paranoia sees threats everywhere”. 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: cao mu jie bing, cao mu jie bing,草木皆兵 meaning, 草木皆兵 in english
Extreme paranoia sees threats everywhere
Pronunciation: cǎo mù jiē bīng
Literal meaning: Grass trees all soldiers
Origin & Usage
This psychological idiom describes seeing grass (草) and trees (木) all (皆) as soldiers (兵), originating from the Three Kingdoms period where a defeated general became so fearful during retreat that rustling vegetation appeared as enemy troops. The phrase gained broader usage during the Tang Dynasty, describing siege mentality among threatened officials. The natural imagery vividly captured how fear transforms ordinary surroundings into perceived threats. Modern usage describes how anxiety can distort perception, particularly relevant in high-stress situations where past trauma influences current judgment.
When to Use
Situation: After the security breach, the paranoid CEO suspected every employee of potential espionage
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一帆风顺
yī fān fēng shùn
Plain sailing; everything going smoothly
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千里迢迢
qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
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民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 草木皆兵 mean in English?
草木皆兵 (cǎo mù jiē bīng) literally translates to “Grass trees all soldiers” and is used to express “Extreme paranoia sees threats everywhere”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 草木皆兵 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving extreme paranoia sees threats everywhere.
What is the pinyin for 草木皆兵?
The pinyin pronunciation for 草木皆兵 is “cǎo mù jiē bīng”.