大惊小怪
大惊小怪 (dà jīng xiǎo guài) literally means “big surprise small strange” and expresses “make a fuss about nothing”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: da jing xiao guai, da jing xiao guai,大惊小怪 meaning, 大惊小怪 in english
Make a fuss about nothing
Pronunciation: dà jīng xiǎo guài Literal meaning: Big surprise small strange
Origin & Usage
Big (大) alarm (惊) at a small (小) oddity (怪). The construction sets the size of the reaction against the size of the cause in a single four-character span, which is what makes it economical as a rebuke. It is generally mild — a family word rather than a serious criticism — and it appears most often in the imperative, 别大惊小怪, don't make such a fuss, addressed to someone who has just reacted to a spider.
Examples
English: "Don't make such a fuss over a minor mistake."
Chinese: 不要为小错误大惊小怪。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
触目惊心
chù mù jīng xīn
Shocking; deeply disturbing
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恍然大悟
huǎng rán dà wù
Sudden complete understanding after confusion
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大同小异
dà tóng xiǎo yì
Essentially the same with minor differences
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大材小用
dà cái xiǎo yòng
Waste talent on menial tasks
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眉飞色舞
méi fēi sè wǔ
Be animated with excitement
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眉开眼笑
méi kāi yǎn xiào
Be all smiles; radiate happiness
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风云突变
fēng yún tū biàn
Sudden dramatic change
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翻云覆雨
fān yún fù yǔ
Fickle and manipulative
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 大惊小怪 mean in English?
大惊小怪 (dà jīng xiǎo guài) literally translates to “Big surprise small strange” and is used to express “Make a fuss about nothing”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 大惊小怪 used?
Situation: Don't make such a fuss over a minor mistake.
What is the pinyin for 大惊小怪?
The pinyin pronunciation for 大惊小怪 is “dà jīng xiǎo guài”.