I hate that phrase. It’s interesting to me that this is considered a negative thing in Chinese. One would think that it would be impossible to think too much. Worrying too much, sure. Reading too much into a particular situation, of course. But think too much? That’s such a sweeping statement. And what really bugs me is that if one retorts with Ni xiangde bu gou duo (You’re not thinking enough), nobody really understands what you’re talking about. 
I hate that phrase. It’s interesting to me that this is considered a negative thing in Chinese. One would think that it would be impossible to think too much. Worrying too much, sure. Reading too much into a particular situation, of course. But think too much? That’s such a sweeping statement. And what really bugs me is that if one retorts with Ni xiangde bu gou duo (You’re not thinking enough), nobody really understands what you’re talking about. [/quote]
Isn’t that just the speaker demonstrating poor English skills? One bloke in my office pisses me off no end with this statement, but I know he actually means “you’re reading too much into the situation.”
“think too much”
That’s not “Chinese” mentality, that’s working-class dumbass mentality everywhere. Back home some of my friends that were black caught the “you’re acting white” attitude from fellow people of color. It’s just tall-poppy syndrome at work. It makes uneducated people feel better about themselves to cut someone smarter than them down.
Most of the times I’ve been told “Ni xiang tai duo,” it seemed like the speaker’s meaning was that I was reading into something too much. That doesn’t bother me too much. However, I have been told the same thing in situations where the only possible meaning was that they actually thought I used my brain too much and should just go with the flow or agree. That pisses me off.
That’s been my experience too. Or maybe “you’re over-analysing it”.
Brian
I am an incurable pessimist but…when someone says that to me, i get really suspicious. I wonder if the person is hiding something from me…lying.
I get told that by my g/f but only when I am upset about a situation. I have also spoken to her about this and asked why it is such a bad thing to ‘over think’. I feel that she is telling me that ‘this thing is happening, and you cant change it by being angry, etc’. I feel she is advising me that i’d actually understand something a whole lot better if I stop trying to analyse it, and just see it for what it is. ‘Let go of your feelings, Luke’.
What do others think?
I’ve been told that when I worry. I always thought it was something like “You worry too much.” Nonetheless, I hate it and no one says it in English and it just shows that person needs to brush up on their language skills.
I hear “don’t think too much” a lot from my Taiwanese roommate. And in my progressively Chinglish laden speech I find I use it a lot with her too.
I take it to mean “Don’t worry so much”. Maybe I should correct my roommates speech and tell her there’s no such saying as “don’t think too much” in English.
But what would be the proper English equivalent?
Edit:
What? Somehow, while I was composing my post, Flicka snuck in an posted something similar to what I just wrote. Sorry about the redundant post!
the english equivalent would be ''you’ve hit a nerve! i don’t want to talk about it anymore!"
It’s not just a chinese thing. I’ve heard plenty of white folks say “You think too much”, especially if the conclusions you reach from thinking deeply about something are different from what they ‘know’ to be right.
It’s a lot easier to go through life without thinking, and just to follow everyone else. If someone comes along and rocks the boat, by really analyzing the consequences of accepted doctrine, then they are making the average Joe uncomfortable. Rather than get into a discussion that he isn’t equipped for, and getting brain-ache, Joe will tell you that you’re thinking too much. It’s a cop out.
Thinking too much is actually a good thing, so you are always ahead of the game and everybody else…
I always think too much, that is why I am paranoid.
I’m not sure why you all seem to think this phrase is exclusive to Taiwan. I’ve heard it in the States as well. In fact, it has been said to me by other non-Asian individuals. In my experience it doesn’t mean you are being overly-intellectual or not “going-with the flow” enough.
I’ve always took it as meaning, “you are worrying too much” as in I am thinking about things that have not happened, that probably won’t happened, etc… and, that, either way, I can’t control so I should stop worrying/obsessing about them.
Or “you are over-analyzing the situation.” In other words, I am analyzing what someone said or did too closely, that is ascribing (is that the right word?) a meaning to something that it doesn’t have. You know? Like the classic (stereotypical) situation of a women who asks her husband/boyfriend if he likes her dress and, no matter what he says, she takes it as meaning he thinks she is too fat.
If Taiwanese people say “You think too much!” seriously, they may mean “be obedient and servile.” Nothing is related to “think” or “much”. We should say “shut up” to save time, but you know we are THE STATE OF ETIQUETTE(Li3Yi2Zhi1Bang1).
The most pathetic is that seniors now are trying to be pretentiously open-minded and pro-democracy, and then say “Any problems or suggestions are welcome.” If you do give one, the next phrase will often be “You think too much!”
Unfortunately, it is on the top of hit parade phrases I continuously hear from my friends, but in Mandarin. Not for foreigners only. 
today i attended the ground breaking ceremony for the upgrading of the local train station in yangmei. the plan is terrible. what is now a very accessible train station with a very low “hassle factor” is going to be modernized into another cramped, “re nao” trafic crimp that will need constant observation/control by the boys in blue. basically, they are gonna take away the open space in front of the station and put in a park.
me and the binglan brothers and their taxi driver cousins were examining the poster board renderings of our future station in full agreement of “bu hao” all around and you know what happened next. despite the displeasure of the working folk, some “suit” types came over and told us most assuredly “nimen xiang tai duo le”. no doubt, they then got in their taoyuan county mercedes and headed up to taoyuan city.
kimichen’s theory that it translate to get back in line and follow your superiors seems spot on.
You guys think too much.
Remember what Socrates said about the unexamined life.
Like I said, it’s just tall poppy, “know your place!” syndrome. Lots of people in this world are very insecure and feel threatened when someone else from their group demonstrates superior qualities. Anyone with an IQ above 115 gets it.
Nobody has said “You think to much” to me. Until reading this thread this did not concern me (how could it ?..). Now I’m worried that I may be too superficial…
IMO People can think too much. I think (oops) thinking too much leads to dissatisfaction with life & may sometimes be a symptom of mental illness ,either anxiety (thinking too much about nasty things that are going to happen to you) or depression (too much introspection, feelings of low self worth etc etc).
Over analysing anything generally leads to feelings that whatever you are thinking about is rather basic & meaningless eg Football at a superfiricial level is fun but start analysing it …bunch of guys kicking a leather sphere around …etc & the whole thing starts to seem ridiculous.
Same thing with relationships.
She loves me …great…happy.
But why does she love me ?..Is it because she looked around & couldnt find any better & has compromised on the best of a bad lot …etc…dont go there.
Thinking is perhaps like painting a picture , you have to judge when you have put enough paint on the canvass. Often, less is more.
I often get told “Ni xiang tai duo” when I’m giving free rein to my imagination, floating hypotheses, or simply musing about people’s actions and motives. Apparently, it makes a lot of Taiwanese people feel uncomfortable when anyone does that. But it doesn’t half annoy me when someone snaps that at me in a semi-reproachful tone, as if thinking outside the box and probing beyond the surface of things were an undesirable and unhealthy trait. No wonder this society is so sadly lacking in creative, innovative, pioneering talent!
Could it perhaps be a throwback to the pervasive fear that cramped people’s lives during the era of martial law and white terror? But no, of course not, I’m thinking too much!
On second thought, perhaps there is something to the fact that Western thinking is descended from Socrates and Eastern thinking descended from Confucius. The Old Master was long on common sense and decent behaviour but not too big on analysis and creativity.