When Yue Guang asked why, the friend explained: "Last time I visited, you gave me wine. When I was about to drink, I saw a snake in the cup. I was so disturbed that after drinking, I became ill and have been sick ever since."

Yue Guang was puzzled. He went back to the room where they had sat and looked around carefully.

He noticed that on the wall behind where his friend had been sitting, there was a painted bow hanging.

Yue Guang realized that what his friend had seen was not a real snake, but the reflection of the bow in the wine cup.

He invited his friend to visit again and sat him in the same place. He asked: "Do you see anything in the wine now?"

The friend replied: "Yes, I see the same snake!" Yue Guang then pointed to the bow on the wall and explained that it was just a reflection.

Once the friend understood the truth, his fear disappeared, and his illness was immediately cured.

Original Classical Chinese

尝有亲客，久阔不复来，广问其故，答曰："前在坐，蒙赐酒，方欲饮，见杯中有蛇，意甚恶之，既饮而疾。"于时河南听事壁上有角，漆画作蛇，广意杯中蛇即角影也。复置酒于前处，谓客曰："酒中复有所见不？"答曰："所见如初。"广乃告其所以，客豁然意解，沉疴顿愈。

How to Use 杯弓蛇影

This idiom is used to describe people who are overly suspicious and frightened by imaginary fears.

It emphasizes that many fears are based on misunderstandings or illusions rather than real dangers.

The idiom is often used to encourage people to investigate the truth before jumping to conclusions.

When to use:

Use when someone is overly suspicious or paranoid
Often used to describe fear based on misunderstandings
Can be used to encourage investigating the truth before fearing

Common Mistake

Don't use this idiom for legitimate caution or reasonable fear. It specifically refers to excessive suspicion based on misunderstandings or imaginary fears.

Example Sentences

他最近总是杯弓蛇影，对什么都疑神疑鬼的。

Tā zuìjìn zǒngshì bēi gōng shé yǐng, duì shénme dōu yíshén yíguǐ de.

He has been overly suspicious lately, seeing imaginary dangers everywhere.

不要杯弓蛇影，事情没有你想的那么可怕。

Bùyào bēi gōng shé yǐng, shìqíng méiyǒu nǐ xiǎng de nàme kěpà.

Don't be overly suspicious. Things are not as scary as you think.

他因为一次失败就杯弓蛇影，再也不敢尝试了。

Tā yīnwèi yī cì shībài jiù bēi gōng shé yǐng, zài yě bù gǎn chángshì le.

Because of one failure, he became overly fearful and no longer dares to try again.

Practice Writing

Generate a free printable worksheet with all 4 characters from this idiom.

Generate Worksheet (4 Characters)

Or explore each character:

杯stroke order 弓stroke order 蛇stroke order 影stroke order

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng) mean?

杯弓蛇影 literally means "a bow's reflection in a cup mistaken for a snake." Figuratively, it means to be overly suspicious and frightened by imaginary fears, or to see danger where there is none.

What is the story behind 杯弓蛇影?

The idiom comes from "Book of Jin" (晋书). A friend of Yue Guang saw what he thought was a snake in his wine cup and became ill. Yue Guang discovered it was just the reflection of a painted bow on the wall. Once the friend understood the truth, his illness was cured.

How do you use 杯弓蛇影 in a sentence?

Use 杯弓蛇影 when describing excessive suspicion. For example: "他最近总是杯弓蛇影，对什么都疑神疑鬼的" (He has been overly suspicious lately, seeing imaginary dangers everywhere).

What is the opposite of 杯弓蛇影?

The opposite would be idioms like 泰然自若 (tài rán zì ruò, calm and composed) or 处变不惊 (chǔ biàn bù jīng, to remain calm in the face of change), which emphasize calmness and composure rather than excessive fear.

Is 杯弓蛇影 difficult to learn?

杯弓蛇影 is considered beginner-friendly. It uses relatively common characters (杯 HSK2, 弓 HSK5, 蛇 HSK5, 影 HSK3), has a memorable story, and the meaning is straightforward. It's one of the most commonly taught Chinese idioms.

杯弓蛇影

Character-by-Character Breakdown

The Story Behind 杯弓蛇影

The Bow Reflection in the Cup