杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng): lit. to see a bow reflected in a cup as a snake ; fig. unnecessary suspicions; overly fearful

bēigōngshéyǐng

lit. to see a bow reflected in a cup as a snake ; fig. unnecessary suspicions; overly fearful

A man saw a bow reflected in his wine, thought he had swallowed a snake, and made himself ill. For fear invented out of nothing.