xiǎotídàzuò: 小题大做 - To make a mountain out of a molehill, To overreact

• Keywords: xiaotidazuo, 小题大做, make a mountain out of a molehill in Chinese, overreact in Chinese, make a big deal out of nothing Chinese, Chinese idiom for exaggeration, Chinese chengyu, HSK 5 vocabulary, Chinese idioms explained.
• Summary: Discover the meaning of the common Chinese idiom (chengyu) 小题大做 (xiǎotídàzuò), the perfect phrase for describing someone who is “making a mountain out of a molehill.” This comprehensive guide explores its literal meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage with numerous example sentences, helping you understand how and when to talk about overreacting in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xiǎo tí dà zuò
• Part of Speech: Idiom (成语, chéngyǔ)
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To treat a minor issue as a major one; to make a big fuss over a small matter.
• In a Nutshell: 小题大做 is a four-character idiom used to criticize or describe someone whose reaction is completely out of proportion to the problem. It implies that a person is exaggerating the importance of something trivial, often causing unnecessary drama or worry. It carries a negative connotation and is one of the most practical and frequently used idioms in daily conversation.

• 小 (xiǎo): Small, little, minor.
• 题 (tí): Topic, problem, question (as on an exam).
• 大 (dà): Big, large, major.
• 做 (zuò): To do, to make, to treat as.

Literally, the phrase translates to “small topic, big make” or “to treat a small problem as a big one.” The characters combine to create a vivid and intuitive picture of the meaning: taking a small question (小题) and making a big production out of it (大做).

The frequent use of 小题大做 reflects a cultural preference for pragmatism and emotional moderation in many social situations. In Chinese culture, maintaining composure and not disturbing group harmony (和谐, héxié) over minor issues is often valued. Someone who is constantly 小题大做 might be seen as immature, difficult, or lacking a sense of perspective. A close Western equivalent is “to make a mountain out of a molehill.” The concepts are nearly identical. The primary difference is in usage frequency and form. 小题大做, as a `chengyu`, is a concise, standard, and very common part of everyday vocabulary for all native speakers. While the English idiom is also well-known, using a four-character idiom like this is a core feature of expressive Mandarin. Using it correctly will make your Chinese sound much more natural and fluent.

This idiom is extremely versatile and is used across all registers of speech, from casual chats with friends to more formal workplace discussions.

• Connotation: It is almost always negative and critical. You use it to describe another person's disproportionate reaction. It's rare to use it for yourself unless you are being self-deprecating (e.g., “Am I overreacting?”).
• Common Situations:
  • Family/Relationships: When a partner or parent gets overly upset about a minor mistake, like forgetting to take out the trash or spilling a drink.
  • Workplace: A manager who makes a huge deal about a tiny typo in an internal document could be accused of being 小题大做.
  • Friendships: A friend who gets dramatic over a small misunderstanding.
  • Media: Describing a news outlet that sensationalizes a minor event to attract clicks.

• Example 1:
  • 不就是迟到五分钟吗？你别小题大做了！
  • Pinyin: Bù jiùshì chídào wǔ fēnzhōng ma? Nǐ bié xiǎotídàzuò le!
  • English: It's just five minutes of being late, don't make a mountain out of a molehill!
  • Analysis: A classic example of dismissing someone's overreaction. The phrase `不就是…吗? (bù jiùshì…ma?)` is often used to downplay the significance of something.
• Example 2:
  • 孩子只是把衣服弄脏了，你这样骂他，是不是有点儿小题大做？
  • Pinyin: Háizi zhǐshì bǎ yīfú nòng zāng le, nǐ zhèyàng mà tā, shì bùshì yǒudiǎnr xiǎotídàzuò?
  • English: The kid just got his clothes dirty. Berating him like this, isn't that a bit of an overreaction?
  • Analysis: Here, it's used as a gentle criticism, questioning someone's parenting methods. `是不是有点儿 (shì bùshì yǒudiǎnr)` softens the accusation.
• Example 3:
  • 我觉得老板因为一个错别字就开会批评我们，太小题大做了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juédé lǎobǎn yīnwèi yígè cuòbiézì jiù kāihuì pīpíng wǒmen, tài xiǎotídàzuò le.
  • English: I think the boss calling a meeting to criticize us over a single typo is a huge overreaction.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates its use in a professional context. `太…了 (tài…le)` emphasizes the degree of the overreaction.
• Example 4:
  • 只是一个很小的失误，没必要这么小题大做，我们赶紧解决就行了。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐshì yígè hěn xiǎo de shīwù, méi bìyào zhème xiǎotídàzuò, wǒmen gǎnjǐn jiějué jiùxíng le.
  • English: It's just a very small mistake, there's no need to make such a big deal out of it. Let's just solve it quickly.
  • Analysis: This is a proactive and diplomatic use, focusing on the solution rather than dwelling on the criticism.
• Example 5:
  • 她总是为了一点小事就生气，真是个喜欢小题大做的人。
  • Pinyin: Tā zǒng shì wèile yìdiǎn xiǎoshì jiù shēngqì, zhēnshi gè xǐhuān xiǎotídàzuò de rén.
  • English: She always gets angry over little things, she's really someone who likes to make a mountain out of a molehill.
  • Analysis: Used here to describe a person's general character trait rather than a single action.
• Example 6:
  • 我是不是在小题大做？我男朋友没回我信息，我就觉得他不在乎我了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shì bùshì zài xiǎotídàzuò? Wǒ nánpéngyǒu méi huí wǒ xìnxī, wǒ jiù juédé tā bù zàihū wǒ le.
  • English: Am I making a big deal out of nothing? My boyfriend didn't text me back, and I immediately thought he doesn't care about me anymore.
  • Analysis: A great example of self-reflection, using the term in a question to check one's own reaction.
• Example 7:
  • 这篇新闻报道完全是小题大做，把一个社区小纠纷写成了重大社会冲突。
  • Pinyin: Zhè piān xīnwén bàodào wánquán shì xiǎotídàzuò, bǎ yígè shèqū xiǎo jiūfēn xiě chéngle zhòngdà shèhuì chōngtū.
  • English: This news report is a complete exaggeration, turning a minor community dispute into a major social conflict.
  • Analysis: Shows how the idiom can be applied to media sensationalism.
• Example 8:
  • 放轻松，这只是个初步计划，你不用对每个细节都这么小题大做。
  • Pinyin: Fàng qīngsōng, zhè zhǐshì gè chūbù jìhuà, nǐ bùyòng duì měi gè xìjié dōu zhème xiǎotídàzuò.
  • English: Relax, this is just a preliminary plan. You don't need to make such a big deal about every single detail.
  • Analysis: Used as advice to someone who is being overly critical or anxious.
• Example 9:
  • 我承认我刚才有点小题大做，对不起。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ chéngrèn wǒ gāngcái yǒudiǎn xiǎotídàzuò, duìbùqǐ.
  • English: I admit I was overreacting just now, I'm sorry.
  • Analysis: A self-deprecating apology, showing acknowledgment of one's own disproportionate behavior.
• Example 10:
  • 经理最讨厌员工小题大做，他喜欢大家直接报告解决方案。
  • Pinyin: Jīnglǐ zuì tǎoyàn yuángōng xiǎotídàzuò, tā xǐhuān dàjiā zhíjiē bàogào jiějué fāng'àn.
  • English: The manager hates it when employees make a big fuss over small things; he prefers everyone to directly report the solution.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes someone's preference, highlighting the negative perception of this behavior in a results-oriented environment.

• Don't Trivialize Serious Issues: The most common mistake is to misuse 小题大做 when the issue is genuinely serious to the other person. If your friend is distraught because they lost a family heirloom, telling them they are being 小题大做 is insensitive and wrong. The key is that the problem must be objectively minor.
• 小题大做 vs. 夸大 (kuādà): These are related but distinct.
  • 小题大做 (xiǎotídàzuò) is about an *emotional or behavioral overreaction* to a real but small event.
  • 夸大 (kuādà - to exaggerate) is about *distorting facts* or making something sound bigger, better, or worse than it is.
  • Example: If you get a small scratch on your car and start yelling and crying, that's 小题大做. If you tell your friends the car was “completely destroyed,” that's 夸大.
• Incorrect Usage:
  • (Situation: Someone's wallet with their passport and all their money was just stolen.)
  • Incorrect: 别哭了，不就是一个钱包吗？你真是小题大做。 (Bié kū le, bù jiùshì yígè qiánbāo ma? Nǐ zhēnshi xiǎotídàzuò.)
  • Why it's wrong: Losing a passport and all your money is a major crisis, not a “small topic” (小题). Accusing the person of overreacting is completely inappropriate and shows a lack of empathy.

• 大惊小怪 (dàjīngxiǎoguài) - To make a fuss about something perfectly normal; to be easily surprised. Focuses more on the element of shock or alarm at something commonplace, while 小题大做 is about the scale of the reaction to a problem.
• 反应过度 (fǎnyìng guòdù) - A more literal and less idiomatic way to say “to overreact.” It's a direct description rather than a colorful idiom.
• 斤斤计较 (jīnjīnjìjiào) - To haggle over every last ounce; to be petty or nitpicky. This describes someone who is obsessed with minor details, often in a selfish or stingy way, which is different from having a single, large overreaction.
• 无事生非 (wúshìshēngfēi) - To create trouble out of nothing. This is stronger and more negative than 小题大做, as it implies a malicious intent to start problems where none exist.
• 夸大 (kuādà) - To exaggerate, to overstate. As explained above, this relates to distorting facts, not the emotional reaction itself.
• 小題大作 (xiǎo tí dà zuò) - The Traditional Chinese character version of the term.
• 冷静 (lěngjìng) - Calm, composed. The opposite state of mind of someone who is being 小题大做. You might tell someone “冷静一点 (lěngjìng yìdiǎn)” - “calm down a bit” - when they are starting to 小题大做.