杯弓蛇影

- mistake the shadow of a bow in one's cup as a snake -- a false alarm (self-created suspision); atmosphere of fear and admonition; be frightened by the shadow of the snake in a beaker; be jittery with imaginary fear; be (like) the shadow of the snake in the cup; see serpent's image in wine cup; shy at a shadow; take alarm at the shadow of a bow in the cup (as a serpent's image); The bow in the cup had the appearance of a snake.