"An illusory snake in a goblet" is used to describe the psychological state of being frightened caused by taking illusions as reality.

　　“杯弓蛇影”比喻把虛幻當作真實的恐懼心理。

　　In Jin Dynasty there was a man named Yue Guang who was fond of drinking alcohol.

　　晉朝有個叫樂(yuè)廣的人，愛喝酒。

　　One day, he invited a friend to his house to drink together.

　　一天，他邀請朋友到家里來對斟（zhēn)對飲。

　　Suddenly, his friend saw the reflection of a snack swimming in the goblet.

　　忽然，朋友看見酒杯里有條蛇影在游動。

　　He got so much frightened that he took ill on bed after getting home.

　　他受了驚嚇，回去便一病不起。

　　And neither any doctor or any medicine could cure his illness.

　　請醫服藥，都無起色。

　　Yue Guang came to see him and asked about the cause of his disease.

　　樂廣跑來看他，問明起病的緣由。

　　When he got to know the cause, he pulled his friend from the bed immdiately and took him to his house.

　　樂廣聽后一把拉起朋友往家走。

　　Yue Guang made his friend sit where he used to, pouring a goblet of alcohol for him, and asked him," Is there any snake reflection in the goblet?"

　　他讓朋友坐在原處，斟滿酒問：“有蛇影嗎？”

　　There was still a "snake reflection" in the goblet! Yue casually took away the bow hanging on the wall.

　　杯子里還有“蛇影”！樂廣隨手取下墻上的弓。

　　This time, the "snake reflection" disappeared.

　　這次，“蛇影”不見了！

　　"So it was the bow reflection that was in the goblet!" His friend at once got well from his illness.

　　“杯子里原來是弓影呀！”朋友的病情頓時好了！