1.
needless worry, groundless fear, unfounded anxiety
Worry about something that is unlikely to happen or that turns out to be nothing. From a Chinese story about a man who worried the sky would fall.
それは杞憂だった。
That was a needless worry.
杞憂に終わればいいのだが。
I hope it turns out to be nothing.
失敗するかもという心配は杞憂だったようだ。
My worry about failing seems to have been unfounded.
杞憂 is a literary/formal word for unnecessary worry.
ORIGIN: From a Chinese story about a man in the state of Qi who constantly worried that the sky might fall, hence "Qi's worry" (杞=Qi, 憂=worry).
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 杞憂に終わる (turn out to be a needless worry)
- 杞憂であってほしい (I hope it's just unfounded worry)
- 杞憂かもしれないが (it may be needless worry, but...)
USAGE NOTE: A somewhat literary or formal expression. In casual speech, 取り越し苦労 or simply 心配しすぎ might be used instead.