大惊小怪

dà jīng xiǎo guài

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Uncommon

Definitions

1. to make a fuss about nothing (idiom)

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Word relationships

Synonyms

1 item

小题大做

xiǎo tí dà zuò

to make a big fuss over a minor issue (idiom)

Both mean to exaggerate a minor issue.

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used in negative imperatives like 别大惊小怪的 (Don't make a fuss).

Common mistakes

Do not use for genuinely serious situations; it implies the reaction is disproportionate.

Example Sentences

1 shown

他因为一点小事就大惊小怪。

He makes a fuss over a small thing.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 大惊小怪

big; large; great

see 大夫[dài fu]

small

bewildering

to startle

with great alarm