取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)

とりこしぐろう
noun
unnecessary worry, needless anxiety
emotioncognition
1. unnecessary worry, needless anxiety
Worrying about something that hasn't happened yet and may never happen. Borrowing trouble.
それは取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)だよ。
You're worrying for nothing.
取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)をしても仕方(しかた)がない。
There's no point in worrying about things that haven't happened.
心配(しんぱい)していたけど、結局(けっきょく)取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)だった。
I was worried, but in the end it turned out to be needless anxiety.

Usage

Commonly used to reassure someone who is worrying unnecessarily, or to reflect on one's own past worries that turned out to be unfounded. Often appears as 取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)をする (to worry needlessly) or 取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)だった (it was needless worry).

Etymology

From 取(と)り越(こ)す (to bring forward, to anticipate) + 苦労(くろう) (hardship, worry); in the compound く voices to ぐ (とりこしぐろう). Literally "suffering brought forward" — worrying about something before it happens.

Common collocations

  • 取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)をする: to worry needlessly
  • 取(と)り越(こ)し苦労(ぐろう)に終(お)わる: to end up being needless worry

Related Words

Related: 苦労性(くろうしょう) (born worrier)
general
Added 2026.2.8 14:52 · Revised 2026.10.6 10:55
10500/10622_torikoshigurou