小题大做

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: xiǎo tí dà zuò
• English Translation: Making a mountain out of a molehill (making a big fuss over a small matter)
• Idiom Composition: 「小」（Small or trivial）＋「题」（A topic, theme, or problem）＋「大」（Large or exaggerated）＋「做」（To do, to make, or to write (an essay)）
• Meaning: To treat a minor issue as a major problem or to make an unnecessary fuss over a trivial matter. It literally refers to writing a long, elaborate essay on a small, simple topic.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「小题大做」 contains the following nuances:

• Criticism of Overreaction: The idiom is primarily used when a problem exists, but the response or level of concern is completely disproportionate to its actual importance.
• Intentional Exaggeration: It can also imply that someone is magnifying a small issue on purpose, perhaps to use it as a pretext for another goal or to complain loudly.

3. Usage

「小题大做」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Daily Life & Personal Reactions: Used to admonish someone who is getting angry or serious about a minor mistake or a joke.
  • Example:「只不过是擦破了一点皮，不用去医院，别小题大做了。」
    （It's just a tiny scratch, there's no need to go to the hospital; don't make such a big deal out of it.）
• Workplace & Organizations: Used to criticize inefficient or excessive responses, such as management conducting a massive investigation over a minor procedural error.
  • Example:「为了这点小事就要召开全员大会，未免太小题大做了吧。」
    （Calling a full staff meeting for such a minor matter is surely making a mountain out of a molehill.）

Additional Examples:

1. 他只是迟到了五分钟，你没必要小题大做地批评他半小时。
   （He was only five minutes late; there is no need to make a big fuss and criticize him for half an hour.）
2. 媒体对这件绯闻的小题大做，给当事人造成了很大困扰。
   （The media made a mountain out of a molehill regarding this scandal, causing great distress to the people involved.）
3. 有些父母对孩子的每一次小感冒都小题大做，反而让孩子变得娇气。
   （Some parents overreact to every little cold their child gets, which actually makes the child more fragile.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Origin: This idiom is related to the Imperial Examination (科举 - kējǔ) system. A 'Small Theme' (小題 - xiǎotí) referred to a short excerpt from the Confucian classics used as an exam prompt. Writing a massive, long-winded essay (大作 - dàzuò) on such a simple prompt was seen as disproportionate, which led to the modern meaning of an 'unbalanced response.'
• Variation: While it is sometimes written as 小题大作 (xiǎo tí dà zuò), the version using 做 (zuò) is the standard form in modern Chinese.
• Nuance: In almost all daily contexts, this is a negative term (a 'pejorative'). However, in rare literary contexts, it can occasionally be used as a compliment to describe an author's ability to derive a profound theme from a simple subject.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 大惊小怪 (dà jīng xiǎo guài): To make a fuss about nothing; focuses more on the emotion of being unnecessarily surprised.link
  • 借题发挥 (jiè tí fā huī): To use a subject as a pretext to vent one's feelings or air a grievance.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 轻描淡写 (qīng miáo dàn xiě): To touch on a matter lightly or to understate something important.
  • 等闲视之 (děng xián shì zhī): To regard something as trivial or to treat it with indifference.
  • 不足为怪 (bù zú wéi guài): Not worth being surprised at.link
  • 恰如其分 (qià rú qí fèn): To be just right or appropriate for the situation.link

6. Summary

小题大做 (xiǎo tí dà zuò) is a common idiom used to criticize someone for overreacting or exaggerating the importance of a small issue. While it originated from the technicalities of the Imperial Examination system, in modern usage, it is almost exclusively used to describe an unnecessary or disproportionate response to a situation.