針小棒大(しんしょうぼうだい)

しんしょうぼうだい
four-character idiom
making a mountain out of a molehill
1. making a mountain out of a molehill; exaggeration
To exaggerate a small matter into something much larger; to blow things out of proportion. Literally: making a needle (small) into a stick (large).
彼(かれ)の話(はなし)はいつも針小棒大(しんしょうぼうだい)だから話半分(はなしはんぶん)に聞(き)いておこう。
His stories are always exaggerated, so take them with a grain of salt.
マスコミは針小棒大(しんしょうぼうだい)に報道(ほうどう)することがある。
The media sometimes exaggerates in their reporting.
小(ちい)さなミスを針小棒大(しんしょうぼうだい)に騒(さわ)ぎ立(た)てないでほしい。
I wish they wouldn't make such a big deal out of a small mistake.

STRUCTURE: 針(はり) (needle) + 小(しょう) (small) + 棒(ぼう) (stick/rod) + 大(だい) (large). The idiom compares a needle (something tiny) being described as a stick or rod (something much larger).

USAGE: Used as a noun or adverb (with に) to describe exaggeration or overstatement.

  • 針小棒大(しんしょうぼうだい)な話(はなし) (an exaggerated story)
  • 針小棒大(しんしょうぼうだい)に言(い)う (to exaggerate)

SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:

  • 大(おお)げさ (exaggerated, dramatic)
  • 誇張(こちょう) (exaggeration)

OPPOSITE:

  • 控(ひか)えめに言(い)う (to understate)
general
Added 2026.1.17 14:25 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
06000/06217_shinshouboudai