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N1
しんしょうぼうだい (shinshouboudai)
針小棒大

to exaggerate; to make a mountain out of a molehill

💡 Nuance & Usage: A yojijukugo meaning to exaggerate a small thing into a big one, or to make a trivial matter seem very important. Used when someone is overstating facts. (些細なことを大げさに表現する、誇張することを意味する四字熟語です。)

📝 Example Sentences

彼はいつも話を針小棒大に話す癖がある。
He always has a habit of exaggerating stories.

Practice Quiz

Test your understanding of "針小棒大"!

小さなミスを_______に伝えるのはやめてほしい。
🎉 正解 / Correct!
日本語: 「小さなミスを」という部分と「大げさに伝える」という意味の「針小棒大」が合致します。
English: '針小棒大' (exaggerate) fits well with '小さなミスを' (a small mistake), meaning to convey it in an exaggerated way.
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