谈虎色变

談虎色變

tánhǔsèbiàn

idiom #93,274

Meanings

1 to turn pale at the mere mention of a tiger
2 to be terrified at the very thought of something

Characters

color / facial expression

Examples

经历过那场地震后，他对余震谈虎色变。

Jīnglìguò nà chǎng dìzhèn hòu, tā duì yúzhèn tánhǔsèbiàn.

After living through that earthquake, the mere mention of aftershocks terrifies him.

投资者一提到那家公司就谈虎色变。

Tóuzīzhě yī tídào nà jiā gōngsī jiù tánhǔsèbiàn.

Investors turn pale at the mere mention of that company.

Tips

history

From the 《二程全书·遗书》 (writings of the Cheng brothers, Song dynasty): a peasant who had been mauled by a tiger reacted with visible fear when others merely discussed tigers, while ordinary listeners were unmoved. Real experience gives words their weight.

usage

Use when someone has been scarred by an experience and now reacts viscerally to anything that brings it up — financial crashes, illnesses, exams. Stronger than just 'afraid'; implies trauma.

Stroke Order

谈 tán

虎 hǔ

色 sè

变 biàn