成语故事
更新时间: 2007-8-30 11:40:30 北京兆杰鸿翻译公司
破釜沉舟
During the late years of the Qin Dynasty.Xiang Yu led a rebellion. After crossing the Zhang River. Xiang Yu ordered his men to sink all their boats and break their cooking pots. He issued each soldier three days' rations and warned them that there was no way to retreat; the only thing they could do to survive was to advance and fight. After nine fierce battles, the Qin army was finally defeated.
This idiom is used to indicate one's firm determination to achieve one's goal at any cost.
班门弄斧
Lu Ban was supposed to be a consummate carpenter in ancient times. It is said that he once carved a wooden phoenix that was so lifelike that it actually flew in the sky for three days. Thus it was so considered the height of folly to show off one's skill with an axe in front of Lu Ban.
This idiom excoriates those who show off their slight accomplishments in front of experts.
杯弓蛇影
In the Jin Dynasty (265-420), a man called Yue Guang once invited a friend to have a drink at his home. When the friend lifted his cup, he saw a small snake in the wine, yet he forced himself to drink. Back home, the friend recalled the incident, and felt so disgusted that he fell ill. Hearing about this, Yue Guang invited his friend again. He asked him to sit in the same place and drink. Then his friend saw that he image of the snake in the cup was actually the reflection of a bow hung on the wall. Realizing this, the friend recovered quickly.
This idiom indicates a condition of being over-suspicious bringing trouble on oneself.
病入膏肓
In the Spring and Autumn Period, King Jing of the State of Jin fell ill. One night he dreamed that the disease turned into two small figures talking beside him. One said, "I'm afraid the doctor will hurt us." The other said, "Don't worry. We can hide above huang and below GAO. Then the doctor will do nothing to us." The next day, having examined the king, the doctor said, "Your disease is incurable, I am afraid, Your Majesty. It's above huang and below GAO. Where no medicine can reach."
This idiom indicates a hopeless condition.
草木皆兵
In AD 383. the king of Former Qin, Fu Jian, led a huge army to attack Eastern Jin. After losing the first round of fighting , Fu Jian looked down from a city wall, and was terrified when he saw the formidable battle array of the Eastern Jin army, and then looking at the moutain around, he mistook the grass and trees for enemy soldiers. As a result, when the nervous Fu Jian led his army into battle, it suffered a crushing defeat.
This idiom describes how one can defeat oneself by imagining difficulties.
惊弓之鸟
In the Warring States Period, there was a man in the State of Wei called Geng Lei. One day he said to the king:" I can shoot down birds by simply plucking my bowstring." When the king expressed doubt, Geng lei pointed his bow at a wild goose flying in the sky, twanged the bowstring, and the goose fell to the ground, Geng Lei said, "This goose has been hurt in the past. Hearing the twang of the bowstring, it assumed that it was doomed. O it simply gave up trying to live."
This idiom means that if one has been frightened in the past one's will may become paralyzed in a similar situation.
画饼充饥
In the Three Kingdoms Period(220-280), the king of the State of Wei. Cao Rui, wanted to select a very capable man to work for him. He said to his ministers: "When choosing a talented person, always beware of one with a false reputation is just like a picture of a cake; it can't relieve hunger."
Later, this idiom came to be used to mean comforting oneself with unrealistic thoughts,without solving practical problems.
朝三暮四
In the Spring and Autumn Period, a man in the State of Song raised monkeys. The monkeys could understand what he said. As the man became poor, he wanted to reduce the monkey's food. He first suggested that he gave them four acorns in the morning and three in the evening. Thereupon, the monkeys protested angrily. Then their owner said, "How about the three in the morning and four in the everning?" The monkeys were satisfied with that.
This idiom originally meant to befool others with tricks. Later it is used to mean to keep changing one's mind.
打草惊蛇
Once a man wanted to go to the south, but his carrage was heading north. A passer-by asked him:"If you are going to the south,why is your chariot heading north?" The man answered,"My horse is good at running, my driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, and I have enough money." The man didn't consider that the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, the further he was away from his destination.
The idiom derived from this story indicates that one's action was the opposite effect to one's intention.
南辕北辙
Once a man wanted to go to the south, but his carrage was heading north. A passer-by asked him:"If you are going to the south,why is your chariot heading north?" The man answered,"My horse is good at running, my driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, and I have enough money." The man didn't consider that the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, the further he was away from his destination.
The idiom derived from this story indicates that one's action was the opposite effect to one's intention.
During the late years of the Qin Dynasty.Xiang Yu led a rebellion. After crossing the Zhang River. Xiang Yu ordered his men to sink all their boats and break their cooking pots. He issued each soldier three days' rations and warned them that there was no way to retreat; the only thing they could do to survive was to advance and fight. After nine fierce battles, the Qin army was finally defeated.
This idiom is used to indicate one's firm determination to achieve one's goal at any cost.
班门弄斧
Lu Ban was supposed to be a consummate carpenter in ancient times. It is said that he once carved a wooden phoenix that was so lifelike that it actually flew in the sky for three days. Thus it was so considered the height of folly to show off one's skill with an axe in front of Lu Ban.
This idiom excoriates those who show off their slight accomplishments in front of experts.
杯弓蛇影
In the Jin Dynasty (265-420), a man called Yue Guang once invited a friend to have a drink at his home. When the friend lifted his cup, he saw a small snake in the wine, yet he forced himself to drink. Back home, the friend recalled the incident, and felt so disgusted that he fell ill. Hearing about this, Yue Guang invited his friend again. He asked him to sit in the same place and drink. Then his friend saw that he image of the snake in the cup was actually the reflection of a bow hung on the wall. Realizing this, the friend recovered quickly.
This idiom indicates a condition of being over-suspicious bringing trouble on oneself.
病入膏肓
In the Spring and Autumn Period, King Jing of the State of Jin fell ill. One night he dreamed that the disease turned into two small figures talking beside him. One said, "I'm afraid the doctor will hurt us." The other said, "Don't worry. We can hide above huang and below GAO. Then the doctor will do nothing to us." The next day, having examined the king, the doctor said, "Your disease is incurable, I am afraid, Your Majesty. It's above huang and below GAO. Where no medicine can reach."
This idiom indicates a hopeless condition.
草木皆兵
In AD 383. the king of Former Qin, Fu Jian, led a huge army to attack Eastern Jin. After losing the first round of fighting , Fu Jian looked down from a city wall, and was terrified when he saw the formidable battle array of the Eastern Jin army, and then looking at the moutain around, he mistook the grass and trees for enemy soldiers. As a result, when the nervous Fu Jian led his army into battle, it suffered a crushing defeat.
This idiom describes how one can defeat oneself by imagining difficulties.
惊弓之鸟
In the Warring States Period, there was a man in the State of Wei called Geng Lei. One day he said to the king:" I can shoot down birds by simply plucking my bowstring." When the king expressed doubt, Geng lei pointed his bow at a wild goose flying in the sky, twanged the bowstring, and the goose fell to the ground, Geng Lei said, "This goose has been hurt in the past. Hearing the twang of the bowstring, it assumed that it was doomed. O it simply gave up trying to live."
This idiom means that if one has been frightened in the past one's will may become paralyzed in a similar situation.
画饼充饥
In the Three Kingdoms Period(220-280), the king of the State of Wei. Cao Rui, wanted to select a very capable man to work for him. He said to his ministers: "When choosing a talented person, always beware of one with a false reputation is just like a picture of a cake; it can't relieve hunger."
Later, this idiom came to be used to mean comforting oneself with unrealistic thoughts,without solving practical problems.
朝三暮四
In the Spring and Autumn Period, a man in the State of Song raised monkeys. The monkeys could understand what he said. As the man became poor, he wanted to reduce the monkey's food. He first suggested that he gave them four acorns in the morning and three in the evening. Thereupon, the monkeys protested angrily. Then their owner said, "How about the three in the morning and four in the everning?" The monkeys were satisfied with that.
This idiom originally meant to befool others with tricks. Later it is used to mean to keep changing one's mind.
打草惊蛇
Once a man wanted to go to the south, but his carrage was heading north. A passer-by asked him:"If you are going to the south,why is your chariot heading north?" The man answered,"My horse is good at running, my driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, and I have enough money." The man didn't consider that the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, the further he was away from his destination.
The idiom derived from this story indicates that one's action was the opposite effect to one's intention.
南辕北辙
Once a man wanted to go to the south, but his carrage was heading north. A passer-by asked him:"If you are going to the south,why is your chariot heading north?" The man answered,"My horse is good at running, my driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, and I have enough money." The man didn't consider that the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, the further he was away from his destination.
The idiom derived from this story indicates that one's action was the opposite effect to one's intention.