虚惊一场
虚惊一场 (xū jīng yī chǎng) literally means “empty fright for nothing” and expresses “false alarm; scare for nothing”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: xu jing yi chang, xu jing yi chang,虚惊一场 meaning, 虚惊一场 in english
False alarm; scare for nothing
Pronunciation: xū jīng yī chǎng Literal meaning: Empty fright for nothing
Origin & Usage
An empty (虚) fright (惊), one (一) entire scene (场) of it. 场 is the measure word for a performance or a bout of weather, and using it here is the joke: the fear was a complete production, with a beginning, a middle and an end, and nothing behind it. That is why relief and a little embarrassment arrive together. A test result that came back clear, an alarm that turned out to be a faulty sensor, any danger that dissolved on inspection.
Examples
English: "The suspicious package turned out to be harmless - just a false alarm."
Chinese: 可疑包裹原来是无害的——虚惊一场。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
风声鹤唳
fēng shēng hè lì
Overly fearful and suspicious
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杯弓蛇影
bēi gōng shé yǐng
Needlessly suspicious
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杞人忧天
qǐ rén yōu tiān
Worry needlessly about impossible disasters
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草木皆兵
cǎo mù jiē bīng
Extreme paranoia sees threats everywhere
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提心吊胆
tí xīn diào dǎn
Constant dread; unable to stop worrying
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高枕无忧
gāo zhěn wú yōu
Completely free from worry or concern
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虚怀若谷
xū huái ruò gǔ
Stay humble and open
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临危不惧
lín wēi bù jù
Courage under pressure
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 虚惊一场 mean in English?
虚惊一场 (xū jīng yī chǎng) literally translates to “Empty fright for nothing” and is used to express “False alarm; scare for nothing”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 虚惊一场 used?
Situation: The suspicious package turned out to be harmless - just a false alarm.
What is the pinyin for 虚惊一场?
The pinyin pronunciation for 虚惊一场 is “xū jīng yī chǎng”.