杯弓蛇影 bēi gōng shé yǐng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. to see a bow reflected in a cup as a snake (idiom); fig. unnecessary suspicions
  2. overly fearful

CHARACTERS

杯 bēi
HSK 1
cup, glass
弓 gōng bow; curved, arched; KangXi radical number 57
蛇 shé
HSK 5
snake
影 yǐng
HSK 1
shadow; image, reflection; photograph