草木皆兵 (cǎo mù jiē bīng): lit. every tree or bush an enemy soldier ; fig. to panic and treat everyone as an enemy; to feel beleaguered
草木皆兵
lit. every tree or bush an enemy soldier ; fig. to panic and treat everyone as an enemy; to feel beleaguered
A retreating general saw enemy soldiers in every tree and bush on the hillside. For panic that has begun generating its own evidence.