英文成语故事（通用8篇）
成语故事是我国历史的一部分，成语是历史的积淀，每一个成语的背后都有一个含义深远的故事，是我国几千年以来人民智慧的结晶。其特点是深刻隽永，言简意赅。下面是小编给大家带来英文成语故事，希望对大家有帮助！
英文成语故事 篇1
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 monkeys' food. He first suggested that he give them three acorns(橡子) in the morning and four acorns in the evening.
Thereupon, the monkeys protested angrily. Then their owner said, "how about four in the morning and three in the evening?" 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.
英文成语故事 篇2
In the Warring States Period, a man in the state of Chu was offering a sacrifice(祭品) to his ancestors. After the ceremony, the man gave a beaker of wine to his servants.
The servants thought that there was not enought wine for all of them, and decided to each draw a picture of snake; the one who finished the picture first would get the wine.
One of them drew very rapidly. Seeing that the others were still busy drawing, he added feet to the snake.
At this moment, another man finished, snatched the beaker(烧杯，大口杯) and drank the wine, saying,"A snake doesn't have feet. How can you add feet to a snake?"
This idiom refers to ruining a venture by doing unnecessary and surplus things.
英文成语故事 篇3
In the Spring and Autumn Period, a farmer in the State of Song was one day working in the fields when he saw a rabbit bump into a tree stump(树桩) accidentally and break its neck.
The farmer took the rabbit home, and cooked himself a delicious meal.
That night he thought, 'I needn't work so hard. All I have to do is wait for a rabbit each day by the stump.'
So from then on he gave up farming, and simply sat by the stump waiting for rabbits to come and run into it.
This idiom satirizes(讽刺，挖苦) those who just wait for a stroke of luck, rather than making efforts to obtain what they need.
英文成语故事 篇4
Near China's northern borders lived a man well versed in the practices of Taoism. His horse, for no reason at all, got into the territory of the northern tribes. Everyone commiserated with him.
"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.
After a few months, his animal came back, leading a fine horse from the north. Everyone congratulated him.
"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a cause of misfortune," said his father.
Since he was well-off and kept good horses his son became fond of riding and eventually broke his thigh bone falling from a horse. Everyone commiserated with him.
"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.
One year later, the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions. All able-bodied young men took up arms and fought against the invaders, and as a result, around the border nine out of ten men died. This man's son did not join in the fighting because he was crippled and so both the boy and his father survived.
战国时期，靠近北部边城，住着一个老人，名叫塞翁。塞翁养了许多马，一天，他的马群中忽然有一匹走失了。邻居们听说这件事，跑来安慰，劝他不必太着急，年龄大了，多注意身体。塞翁见有人劝慰，笑了笑说：“丢了一匹马损失不大，没准会带来什么福气呢。”
邻居听了塞翁的话，心里觉得很好笑。马丢了，明明是件坏事，他却认为也许是好事，显然是自我安慰而已。过了几天，丢失的马不仅自动返回家，还带回一匹匈奴的骏马。
邻居听说了，对塞翁的预见非常佩服，向塞翁道贺说：“还是您有远见，马不仅没有丢，还带回一匹好马，真是福气呀。”
塞翁听了邻人的祝贺，反而一点高兴的.样子都没有，忧虑地说：“白白得了一匹好马，不一定是什么福气，也许惹出什么麻烦来。”
邻居们以为他故作姿态纯属老年人的狡猾。心里明明高兴，有意不说出来。
塞翁有个独生子，非常喜欢骑马。他发现带回来的那匹马顾盼生姿，身长蹄大，嘶鸣嘹亮，膘悍神骏，一看就知道是匹好马。他每天都骑马出游，心中洋洋得意。
一天，他高兴得有些过火，打马飞奔，一个趔趄，从马背上跌下来，摔断了腿。邻居听说，纷纷来慰问。
塞翁说：“没什么，腿摔断了却保住性命，或许是福气呢。”邻居们觉得他又在胡言乱语。他们想不出，摔断腿会带来什么福气。
不久，匈奴兵大举入侵，青年人被应征入伍，塞翁的儿子因为摔断了腿，不能去当兵。入伍的青年都战死了，唯有塞翁的儿子保全了性命。
英文成语故事 篇5
In the Warring States Period, the State of Qin besieged the capital of the State of Zhao. Duke Pingyuan of Zhao planned to ask the ruler of the State of Chu personally for assistance. He wanted to select a capable man to go with him. A man called Mao Sui volunteered. When the negoti-actions between the two states were stalled because the ruler of Chu hesitated to send troops, Mao Sui approached him, brandishing a sword. At that, the ruler of Chu agreed to help Zhao, against Qin.
战国时代，秦国军队攻打赵国的都城。赵国的平原君打算亲自到楚国去请救兵，想挑选一个精明能干的人一同前去。有一个名叫毛遂的`人，自告奋勇愿意同去。平原君到楚国后，与楚王谈了半天，没有一点结果。毛遂怒气冲冲地拿着宝剑，逼近楚王，终于迫使楚王答应出兵，与赵国联合共同抵抗秦国。
This idiom means to recommend oneself.“毛遂自荐”这个成语用来比喻自己推荐自己，不必别人介绍。
英文成语故事 篇6
This idiom comes from Records of Three Kingdoms Kingdom of Wei Biography of Lu Yu. When Lu Yu, the minister of the State of Wei was young, his parents and brothers all died one after another, and he became an orphan. In such a difficult situation, he still studied very hard. Finally he became a talented person and served as a high officialof hisstate.Hewassouprightin performing his official duties that he was promoted to the minister of the Board of Civil Office, in charge of the officials' appointments and removals.
Owing to the vacancy of Lu Yu's original post, it had to fill up a new official for it. Although there were many officials to recommend some well-known people for the post, all were refused by Emperor Wen. He only let Lu Yu do it and also pointed out:"It depends on you whether we can find the right person for the important post. But we can't choose someone only with fame in stead of his real ability. You see, the fame is just like drawing cakes on the ground to allay hungry."
Then Lu expressed his idea:" You are right, YourMajesty, selections should depend on their real learning and abilities. But the real fame is still very important, such as self-possession and high moral character. So we should select people with both of them."
Now we use it to describe comforting oneself with unrealistic thoughts, without solving practical problemsand feeding on illusions.
此语出自《三国志魏志卢毓传》。三国时代,魏国的大臣卢毓,自幼父母双亡,两位兄长又先后去世,他成了孤儿。但他刻苦学习,终于成了很有才学的人,而且做了朝廷大臣。他为官清正、廉洁,因而连连提升,后被任命为吏部尚书,负责官吏的任免。
卢毓升任吏部尚书后,他原担任的`中书郎职务空缺,需要选拔人补上,当时有很多大臣都推荐一些有名气的人来担任,但都被魏文帝拒绝了。魏文帝曹睿要卢毓选好这个官,并对他说:“这次选拔中书郎,能否选到合适的人,就看你了。千万不要选那些只有虚名而没有真才实学的人,虚名就像在地上画的饼,是不能充饥的。”
卢毓对此说出了他的意见:“陛下说得很对,选拔不能只看名气,但名气也能反映一定的实际情况,如果是修养、才学都好而有名气就不应该嫌弃,主要看他们是否有真才实学。”
英文成语故事 篇7
Quenching Thirst by Watching Plums
One summer, Cao Cao was leading his troops in a punitive expedition against Zhang Xiu. It was extraordinarily hot. The burning sun was like a fire, and the sky was cloudless. The soldiers were walking on the winding mountain paths. The dense forest and the hot rocks exposed to the sun on both sides of the paths made the soldiers feel suffocated. By noontime the soldiers' clothes were wet through with sweat, and the marching speed slowed down. Some solders of weak physique even fainted on the roadside.
Seeing that the marching speed was slower and slower, Cao Cao was very worried because he feared that he might bungle the chance of winning the battle. But how could they quicken their speed? Cao Cao at once callde the guide and asked him on the quiet whether there was a source of water nearby. The guide shook his head, saying that the spring water was on the other side of the mountain, which was very far to have to make a detour to reach. Cao Cao realized that time didn't permit them to make such a detour. After thinking for a moment, he said to the guide, "Keep quiet. I'll find a way out." He knew that it would be to no avail to order his troops to quicken the steps. He had a brain wave and found a good solution. He spurred his horse and came to the head of the column. Pointing his horsewhip to the front, Cao Cao said, "Soldiers, I know there is a big forest of plums ahead. The plums there are both big and delicious. let's hurry along, and we will reach the forest of plums after bypassing this hill." When the solders heard this, they immediately slobbered. Picturing in their minds the sweet and sour flavour of the plums, the soldiers felt as if they were actually eating the plums, the soldiers felt as if they were actually eating the plums themselves. The morale greatly boosted, the soldiers quickened their steps a great deal automatically.
This story comes from "The Fake Tangery" in Anecdotes of This World by Liu Yiqing of the Southern Dynasties period (420-589). From this story, people have derived the set phrase "quenching thirst by watching plums" to refer to trying to comfort oneself of others by idle dreams.
望梅止渴
有一年夏天，曹操率领部队去讨伐张绣，天气热得出奇，骄阳似火，天上一丝云彩也没有，部队在弯弯曲曲的山道上行走，两边密密的树木和被阳光晒得滚烫的山石，让人透不过气来。到了中午时分，士兵的衣服都湿透了，行军的速度也慢下来，有几个体弱的士兵竟晕倒在路边。
曹操看行军的'速度越来越慢，担心贻误战机，心里很是着急。可是，眼下几万人马连水都喝不上，又怎么能加快速度呢？他立刻叫来向导，悄悄问他：“这附近可有水源？”向导摇摇头说：“泉水在山谷的那一边，要绕道过去还有很远的路程。”曹操想了一下说，“不行，时间来不及。”他看了看前边的树林，沉思了一会儿，对向导说：“你什么也别说，我来想办法。”他知道此刻即使下命令要求部队加快速度也无济于事。脑筋一转，办法来了，他一夹马肚子，快速赶到队伍前面，用马鞭指着前方说：“士兵们，我知道前面有一大片梅林，那里的梅子又大又好吃，我们快点赶路，绕过这个山丘就到梅林了！”士兵们一听，仿佛已经吃到嘴里，精神大振，步伐不由得加快了许多。
故事出自《世说新语假谲》。成语“望梅止渴”，比喻用空想安慰自己或他人。
英文成语故事 篇8
A peasant in the state of Song led an extremely hard life for he was destitute, depending on worn sackcloth to defense the chill of winter.宋国的一个农民，因家境贫寒，生活极为清苦，全靠一件烂麻衣抵御冬天的严寒。
After the spring arrived, the peasant ploughed in the field. When he got tired and rested on the ridge of the field he felt the sunshine to be warmer and more comfortable than the worn sackcloth.春天来后，农夫在田里耕地，累了坐在田头休息时，觉得太阳暖融融的，舒服而惬意，远比烂麻衣温暖。
He knew neither spacious nor comfortable houses to live in, nor silk, cotton and fur clothes to keep warm. He was very excited at his discovery, and he said to his wife, “Sun bath is so pleasant, but people do not know it. I will present this secret to the king, and he is sure to bestow many presents to me to reward my loyalty.”这农民不知道人间宽敞舒适的房子都可居住，也不清楚绵绸和皮衣可以保暖。农民为自己的`这一新发现激动不已，兴奋地对妻子说：“晒太阳是如此令人愉快，而人们却还不知道。我要把这一秘密献给国王，国王为了表彰我的忠诚，一定会给我很多赏赐物品。“
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