In the Spring and Autumn Period, in the State of Qi there was a man who always let his imagination run away with him.

One day he even worried that the sky would fall on his head.

He was so worried that he could neither eat nor sleep.

Later, someone persuaded him that his fears were Ground-less.

This idiom satirizes(讽刺，挖苦) those who worry unnecessarily.

从前在杞国，有一个胆子很小，而且有点神经质的人，他常会想到一些奇怪的问题，而让人觉得莫名其妙。

有一天，他吃过晚饭以后，拿了一把大蒲扇，坐在门前程量，并且自言自语的说：假如有一天，天塌了下来，那该怎么办呢?

我们岂不是无路可逃，而将活活地被压死，这不就太冤枉了吗?

”从此以后，他几乎每天为这个问题发愁、烦恼，朋友见他终日精神恍惚，脸色憔悴，都很替他担心，但是，当大家知道原因后，都跑来劝他说：老兄啊!

你何必为这件事自寻烦恼呢?

天空怎么会塌下来呢?

在说即使真的塌下来，那也不是你一个人忧虑发愁就可以解决的啊，想开点吧!

”可是，无论人家怎么说，他都不相信，仍然时常为这个不必要的问题担忧。

【中国成语故事中英对照 杞人忧天查看网站：[db:时间]】