1.
suspicion breeding imaginary fears
A four-character idiom meaning that once you become suspicious, you start seeing threats everywhere; suspicion creates imaginary demons.
Etymology
A four-character idiom (四字熟語): 疑心 (suspicious mind) + 暗鬼 (demon in the dark). It is short for 疑心暗鬼を生ず, "a suspicious mind conjures demons in the dark."
Common collocations
- 疑心暗鬼になる (to become paranoid/suspicious)
- 疑心暗鬼に陥る (to fall into paranoid suspicion)
- 疑心暗鬼を生む (to give rise to suspicion)
Usage
Describes people who, once suspicious, see betrayal or threats everywhere; common where trust inside a group or organization has broken down.