siu2 tai4 daai6 zou6小題大做小题大做
Jyutpingsiu2 tai4 daai6 zou6
Yalesíu tàih daaih jouh
Definition
To make a big fuss over a trivial matter, treating a minor issue as a major crisis.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of criticism, implying that the person being described is overreacting or being overly dramatic. It is frequently used in arguments to dismiss someone's concerns as disproportionate to the actual problem. You will often hear it used with the particle 呀 to add an accusatory tone when questioning someone's reaction.
Examples
He only got a small scrape, do you really need to make such a big fuss?
Related words
Common phrases
don't make a fuss
really making too much of a fuss
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to describe someone who is simply very careful or detail-oriented, but it specifically refers to an emotional or behavioral overreaction to something trivial. It is not used to describe being thorough or professional.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
