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英語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)故事:后來(lái)居上
御史大夫,可他汲黯還蹲在原地沒(méi)動(dòng)窩。有一天,汲黯對(duì)武帝說(shuō),陛下使用群臣,跟碼劈柴一樣,是“后來(lái)者居上”啊!漢武帝當(dāng)然聽(tīng)得出這是發(fā)牢騷。于是,轉(zhuǎn)臉對(duì)臣下們說(shuō):“人真是不能不學(xué)習(xí)??!你們聽(tīng)汲黯說(shuō)話,越來(lái)越離譜了!” 故事出自《史記?汲鄭列傳》。成語(yǔ)“后來(lái)居上”,往往指后起的可以勝過(guò)先前的。和汲黯說(shuō)這話的原意,大不相同。 ?
2013-02-13 -
英語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)故事:抱薪救火
敢談“抵抗”二字。在這大兵壓境的危急時(shí)刻,多數(shù)大臣都勸魏王,用黃河以北和太行山以南的大片土地為代價(jià),向秦王求和。 謀士蘇代聽(tīng)了這些話,很不以為然,忙上前對(duì)魏王說(shuō):“大王,他們是因?yàn)樽约耗懶∨滤溃抛屇ベu(mài)國(guó)求和,根本不為國(guó)家著想。您想,把大片土地割讓給秦國(guó)雖然暫時(shí)滿足了秦王的野心,但秦國(guó)的欲望是無(wú)止境的,只要魏國(guó)的土地沒(méi)割完,秦軍就不會(huì)停止進(jìn)攻我們?!?說(shuō)到這里,蘇代講了一個(gè)故事:從前有一個(gè)人,他的房子起火了,別人勸他快用水去澆滅大火,但他不聽(tīng),偏抱起一捆柴草去救火,是因?yàn)樗欢貌癫莶坏荒軠缁鸱炊苤L(zhǎng)火勢(shì)的道理。大王若同意拿著魏國(guó)土地去求和,不就等于抱著柴草救火嗎?” 盡管蘇代講得頭頭是道,但是膽小的魏王只顧眼前的太平,還是依大臣們的意見(jiàn)把魏國(guó)大片土地割讓給秦國(guó)。到公元225年,果然秦軍又向魏國(guó)大舉進(jìn)攻,包圍了國(guó)都大梁,掘開(kāi)黃河大堤讓洪水淹沒(méi)了大梁城,魏國(guó)終于被秦國(guó)滅掉了。 故事出自《史記?魏世家》。成語(yǔ)“抱薪救火”比喻用錯(cuò)誤的方法去消滅禍害,結(jié)果反而使禍害擴(kuò)大。 Carrying Faggots to Put Out a
2013-02-13 -
英語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)故事:枕戈待旦
In the Western Jin Dynasty there were two young men.One of them was Zu Ti and the other was Liu Kun.Both of them were men of ideals and integrity who were chivalrous and of a sanguine disposition.They not only wrote excellent articles but also were fond of practising martial arts to keep fit, in order to render meritorious service to the country.Both of them were chief clerks responsible for document administration in Luoyang.Although in appearance the Jin Dynasty had jurisdiction of the Central Plains comprising the middle and lower reaches of the Haunch and threatened by foreign invasion.Zu Ti and Liu Kun often talked about the country's situation till late into the night,and each time they talking very excitedly again. Liu Kun fell asleep without knowing it,but Zu Ti was too excited to fall asleep." Cock-a-doodle-doo,"came the crow of rooster in the wasteland.Zu Ti jumped up and kicked Liu Kun awake:"Listen.How inspiring the rooster's crow is.Let's get up and practised on a slope.From then on,they kept practising sword playing vigorously and energetically in the wasteland every day when they heard the first crow in the morning. Deeply moved by Zu Ti's patriotic passion,Liu Kun was determined to devote himself to his homeland.Once he wrote to his family:"At the time when the country is in dire peril,I am resolved to dedicate myselt to the service of my country.I often fear that I might lag behind Zu Ti in rendering service to the country,and,in fact,I am behind him..." The words" sleep with my head pillowed on a spear,waiting for the day to break"vividly described Liu Kun's determination to dedicate himself to the service of the country and to fight the enemy at any time.Later,this set phrase is used to mean maintaining sharp vigilance and being ready to fight at any time." 西晉人祖逖和劉琨,都是性格開(kāi)朗、仗義好俠的志士。年輕時(shí)不但文章寫(xiě)得好,而且都喜歡練武健身,決心報(bào)效祖國(guó)。當(dāng)時(shí),晉朝表面上還管轄著中原大地,但實(shí)際上已是內(nèi)憂外患,風(fēng)雨飄搖了。祖逖和劉琨一談起國(guó)家局勢(shì),總是慷慨萬(wàn)分,常常聊到深夜。 一天,祖逖又和劉琨談得十分興奮,劉琨不知什么時(shí)候睡著了,祖逖卻久久沉浸在談話的興奮之中,不能入睡?!班?,喔,喔--”荒原上的雄雞叫了起來(lái),祖逖一躍而起,踢醒了劉琨:“聽(tīng),這雄雞啼鳴多么振奮人心呀,快起來(lái)練劍吧!”于是,兩人操起劍來(lái),在高坡上對(duì)舞。從此,他倆每天清早聽(tīng)到頭一聲?shū)Q叫,一定來(lái)到荒原上抖擻神練起劍來(lái)。 劉琨被祖逖的愛(ài)國(guó)熱情深深感動(dòng),決心獻(xiàn)身于祖。一次他給家人的信中寫(xiě)道:“在國(guó)家危難時(shí)刻,我經(jīng)常‘枕戈待旦’(枕著兵器睡覺(jué)一直到天明),立志報(bào)國(guó),常擔(dān)心落在祖逖后邊,不想他到底走到我的前頭了!……” 故事出自《晉書(shū)?祖逖傳》?!罢砀甏背鲎詣㈢杜c親故書(shū)》,形象地寫(xiě)出了劉琨隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備殺敵報(bào)國(guó)的決心。后來(lái)用作成語(yǔ),形容時(shí)刻警惕敵人,準(zhǔn)備作戰(zhàn)。 ?
2013-02-13 -
成語(yǔ)故事《南轅北轍》帶翻譯
Going South by Driving the Chariot North Once a man wanted to go to the south, but his carriage was heading north. A passer-by asked him:"If you are going to south, why is your chariot heading north?" The ma answered, "My horse is good at running, My driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, ad I have enough money."The man didint consider that the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, ther further he was away from his destination. The idiom derived froim this story indicates that one's action was the opposite effect to one's intention. 南轅北轍 從前有個(gè)人要到南方去,他坐的車(chē)子卻向北方行駛。過(guò)路人說(shuō):“你去南方,車(chē)子怎么向北行駛呢?”他回答說(shuō):“我的馬很能跑路,我的車(chē)夫駕車(chē)的技術(shù)也很高明,加上我又帶了充足的路費(fèi)?!边@個(gè)人沒(méi)有考慮到,方向弄反了,他的條件越好,離他要取得地方就越遠(yuǎn)。 后來(lái)人們就把這個(gè)故事概括為“南轅北轍”。比喻一個(gè)人的行動(dòng)和他的目的正好相反。 ?
2013-02-14 -
英語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)故事:江郎人才
淡得一無(wú)可取。于是就有人傳說(shuō),有一次江淹乘船停在禪靈寺的河邊,夢(mèng)見(jiàn)一 個(gè)自稱叫張景陽(yáng)的人;向他討還一匹綢緞,他就從懷中拘出幾尺綢緞還他。因此,他的文章以后便不精彩了。又有人傳說(shuō);有一次江淹在冶亭中睡午覺(jué);夢(mèng)見(jiàn)一個(gè)自稱郭璞 的人,走到他的身邊,向他索筆,對(duì)他說(shuō):“文通兄,我有一支筆在你那兒已經(jīng)很久了,現(xiàn)在應(yīng)該可以還給我了吧!” 江淹聽(tīng)了,就順手從懷里取出一支五色筆來(lái)還他。據(jù)說(shuō)從此以后,江淹就文思枯竭,再也寫(xiě)不出什么好的文章了。 其實(shí)并不是江淹的才華已經(jīng)用完了,而是他當(dāng)官以后,一方面由于政務(wù)繁忙,另一方面也由于仕途得意,無(wú)需自己動(dòng)筆,勞心費(fèi)力,就不再動(dòng)筆了。久而久之,文章自然會(huì)逐漸遜色,缺乏才氣。(節(jié)選自《應(yīng)用寫(xiě)作》1995年第8期《但愿“江郎”才不盡》) ?
2013-02-13 -
成語(yǔ)故事《塞翁失馬》中英文版
許是好事,顯然是自我安慰而已。過(guò)了幾天,丟失的馬不僅自動(dòng)返回家,還帶回一匹匈奴的駿馬。 鄰居聽(tīng)說(shuō)了,對(duì)塞翁的預(yù)見(jiàn)非常佩服,向塞翁道賀說(shuō):“還是您有遠(yuǎn)見(jiàn),馬不僅沒(méi)有丟,還帶回一匹好馬,真是福氣呀?!?塞翁聽(tīng)了鄰人的祝賀,反而一點(diǎn)高興的樣子都沒(méi)有,憂慮地說(shuō):“白白得了一匹好馬,不一定是什么福氣,也許惹出什么麻煩來(lái)?!?鄰居們以為他故作姿態(tài)純屬老年人的狡猾。心里明明高興,有意不說(shuō)出來(lái)。 塞翁有個(gè)獨(dú)生子,非常喜歡騎馬。他發(fā)現(xiàn)帶回來(lái)的那匹馬顧盼生姿,身長(zhǎng)蹄大,嘶鳴嘹亮,膘悍神駿,一看就知道是匹好馬。他每天都騎馬出游,心中洋洋得意。 一天,他高興得有些過(guò)火,打馬飛奔,一個(gè)趔趄,從馬背上跌下來(lái),摔斷了腿。鄰居聽(tīng)說(shuō),紛紛來(lái)慰問(wèn)。 塞翁說(shuō):“沒(méi)什么,腿摔斷了卻保住性命,或許是福氣呢?!编従觽冇X(jué)得他又在胡言亂語(yǔ)。他們想不出,摔斷腿會(huì)帶來(lái)什么福氣。 不久,匈奴兵大舉入侵,青年人被應(yīng)征入伍,塞翁的兒子因?yàn)樗嗔送?,不能去?dāng)兵。入伍的青年都戰(zhàn)死了,唯有塞翁的兒子保全了性命。 ?
2013-02-14 -
成語(yǔ)故事《狐假虎威》中英文版
A tiger caughta fox in a forest, and was just about to eat it, when the fox said, "You mustn't eat me. I was sent by Heaven to rule the animals. By eating me, You will violate the command of Heaven. If you dont believe me, just follow me to see whether the animals are afraid of me." The tiger agreed, and followed the fox as it walked around the forest. The animals all ran away on seeing them. The tiger thought they were afraid of the fox, so he let it go. He didnt realise that it was him that hte beasts were really afraid of. This idiom means relying on another 's power to bully or frighten others. 老虎在山林里捉到了一只狐貍,要吃掉它。狐貍連忙說(shuō):“你不能吃我,我是天帝派來(lái)統(tǒng)治百獸的。你要吃了我,就違抗了天帝的命令。你不信,就跟我倒山林里走一趟,看百獸見(jiàn)了我是不是都很害怕?!崩匣⑾嘈帕撕偟脑?,就跟在狐貍的后面走進(jìn)山林。百獸見(jiàn)了果然都紛紛逃命。老虎以為百獸真的害怕狐貍而不知道是害怕自己,于是就把狐貍給放了。 這個(gè)成語(yǔ)用來(lái)比喻依仗別人的勢(shì)力去欺壓人或嚇唬人。 ?
2013-02-14 -
成語(yǔ)故事《愛(ài)屋及烏》中英文版
and gradually the country became more stable and stronger.[/en][cn]周王聽(tīng)后覺(jué)得很有道理,就按這個(gè)辦法去做,結(jié)果國(guó)家真的很快安定下來(lái)了,變得越來(lái)越穩(wěn)定和強(qiáng)大。[/cn] [en]The idiom is then used to mean that if you love someone,you'll love people and things relative to him as well.[/en][cn]成語(yǔ)“愛(ài)屋及烏”后來(lái)就被用來(lái)比喻:因?yàn)橄矏?ài)一個(gè)人,連帶和他有關(guān)的人或事物也喜愛(ài)、關(guān)心。[/cn]
2016-03-15 -
英語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)故事帶翻譯:破鏡重圓
面的銅鏡。徐德言馬上認(rèn)出了這面鏡子。他向那名仆人打聽(tīng)妻子的下落。當(dāng)他得知妻子的痛苦遭遇后,他不禁淚流滿面。他在妻子的那半面銅鏡上題了首詩(shī):"鏡與人俱去,鏡歸人不歸。無(wú)復(fù)嫦娥影,空留明月輝"。 那個(gè)仆人把題了詩(shī)的銅鏡帶回來(lái),交給了樂(lè)昌公主。一連幾天,她都終日以淚洗面,因?yàn)樗勒煞蜻€活著而且想念她,但他們卻無(wú)法再相見(jiàn)了。 楊素終于發(fā)現(xiàn)了這件事。他也被兩人的真情所打動(dòng),覺(jué)得自己也不可能贏得樂(lè)昌的愛(ài)。于是,他派人找來(lái)了徐德言,讓他們夫妻團(tuán)圓了。 "破鏡重圓"這個(gè)成語(yǔ)就是從這個(gè)故事來(lái)的。形容夫妻分開(kāi)后,又高興的團(tuán)圓。 ?
2013-04-17 -
英語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)故事:a pig in a poke
經(jīng)過(guò)檢查便“沖動(dòng)的購(gòu)買(mǎi)”。而“裝在袋中的豬”便是指沖動(dòng)購(gòu)買(mǎi)的物品。 另外有一個(gè)同源成語(yǔ):sell a pig in a poke/ bag, 指的是以欺騙手法出售貨物,類(lèi)似中文的“掛羊頭賣(mài)狗肉”。 看下面例句: It is getting popular to buy various products on the internet. However, consumers need to be careful in case they buy a pig in a poke and find no legal means of protecting their rights. 通過(guò)網(wǎng)絡(luò)購(gòu)買(mǎi)各類(lèi)產(chǎn)品已漸趨流行。但是消費(fèi)者要謹(jǐn)慎小心,以免在沖動(dòng)之下購(gòu)物,而沒(méi)有法律途徑可以保障自己的權(quán)益。 ?
2013-06-02