📖 Meaning
Describes a person who, upon encountering any situation, immediately stirs up trouble or makes a dramatic fuss. It refers to the habit of exaggerating incidents and creating conflict or commotion out of otherwise ordinary events, often with malicious intent or a love of drama.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Qing Dynasty literary collection 'Ye Tan Sui Lu' (夜谭随录) by He Bang'e (和邦额), specifically in the chapter 'Ji Wei Zhi Yi' (棘闱志异). The passage describes a certain young man who delighted in meddling and causing trouble, saying he would 'catch wind and seize shadows, and at every matter stir up a storm' (捕风捉影，见事生风). The idiom has since been used to criticize those who habitually amplify minor incidents into major disturbances.
💡 Example Usage
他这个人最爱见事生风，小事也能闹大。
He loves to stir up trouble over every little thing, always blowing minor incidents out of proportion.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 见事生风
- Pinyin: jiàn shì shēng fēng
- Literal Translation: see, matter, generate, wind
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4