指鹿为马－精选成语故事中英对照.doc

指鹿为马精选成语故事中英对照 CallingaStagaHorse指鹿为马 InthereignofEmperortheSecondoftheQinDynasty(221-207B.C.),theprimeministerZhaoGao,obsessedwithambitions,wasplanningtousurpthethronedayandnight.Buthedidnotknowhowmanyoftheministersinthecourtwereallowedtobeorderedaboutbyhimandhowmanyofthemwerehisopponents.Sohethoughtoutawaytotesthowhighhisprestigeamongtheministerswasandalsotofindoutwhodaredtoopposehim. 秦二世时，丞相赵高野心勃勃，日夜盘算着要篡夺皇位。可朝中大臣有多少人能听他摆布，有多少人反对他，他心中没底。于是，他想了一个办法，准备试一试自己的威信，同时也可以摸清敢于反对他的人。 Onedaywhencourtwasheld,ZhaoGaoletsomeonebringastagtothecourtand,withabroadsmileonhisface,hesaidtoEmperortheSecondoftheQinDynasty:YourMajesty,hereisafinehorseImpresentingtoyou.Lookingattheanimal,EmperortheSecondthoughtthatitwasobviouslyastagandthatitcouldntbeahorse.SohesaidsmilinglytoZhaoGao:MisterPrimeMinister,youarewrong.Thisisastay.Whydoyousayitisahorse?Remainingcalm,ZhaoGaosaid:WillyourMajestypleaseseemoreclearly?Thisreallyisahorsethatcoversathousandliaday.Filledwithsuspicion,EmperortheSecondlookedatthestagagainandsaid:Howcantheantlersbegrownontheheadofahorse?Turningaroundandpointinghisfingerattheministers,ZhaoGaosaidinaloudvoice:ifourMajestydonotbelieveme,youcanasktheministers. 一天上朝时，赵高让人牵来一只鹿，满脸堆笑地对秦二世说：“陛下，我献给您一匹好马。”秦二世一看，心想：这哪里是马，这分明是一只鹿嘛！便笑着对赵高说：“丞相搞错了，这里一只鹿，你怎么说是马呢？”赵高面不改色心不跳地说：“请陛下看清楚，这的确是一匹千里马。”秦二世又看了看那只鹿，将信将疑地说：“马的头上怎么会长角呢？”赵高一转身，用手指着众大臣，大声说：“陛下如果不信我的话，可以问问众位大臣。” ThenonsenseofZhaoGaomadetheministerstotallyatalose,andtheywhisperedtothemselves:WhattrickswasZhaoGaoplaying?Wasitnotobviouswhetheritwasastagorahorse?ButwhentheysawthesinistersmileonZhaoGaosfaceandhistworollingeyeswhichweregazingateachofthem,theysuddenlyunderstoodhisevilintentions. 大臣们都被赵高的一派胡言搞得不知所措，私下里嘀咕：这个赵高搞什么名堂？是鹿是马这不是明摆着吗！当看到赵高脸上露出阴险的笑容，两只眼睛骨碌碌轮流地盯着赵高脸上露出阴险的笑容，两只眼睛骨碌碌轮流地盯着每个人的时候，大臣们忽然明白了他的用意。 Someoftheministerswhoweretimidandyethadasenseofrighteousnessdidnotdaretosayanything,becausetotelllieswouldmaketheirconscienceuneasyandtotellthetruthwouldmeanthattheywouldbepersecutedbyZhaoGaolater.Someministerswithasenseofjusticepersistedthatitwasastagandnotahorse.TherewerestillsomecraftyandfawningministerswhofollowedZhaoGaocloselyinordinarytimes.TheyimmediatelyvoicedtheirsupporttoZhaoGao,sayingtotheemperor:Thisreallyinahorsethatcoversathousandliaday. 一些胆小又有正义感的人都低下头，不敢说话，因为说假话，对不起自己的良心，说真话又怕日后被赵高所害。有些正直的人，坚持认为是说明书而不是马。还有一些平时就紧跟赵高的奸佞之人立刻表示拥护赵高的说法，对皇上说，“这确是一匹千里马！” Aftertheevent,ZhaoGaopunishedbyvariousmeansthoseministerswithasenseofjusticewhowerenotobedienttohim,evenwithwholefamiliesofsomeofthoseministersexecuted. 事后，赵高通过各种手段把那些不顺从自己的正直大臣纷纷治罪，甚至满门抄斩。 ThisstoryappearsinTheLifeoftheFirstEmperoroftheQinDynastyinTheHistoricalRecordswrittenbySimaQian.Fromthisstorypeoplehavederivedthesetphrasecallingastagahorsetomeandeliberatelymisrepresentingsomethingandmisleadingthepublic. 故事出自史记秦始皇本纪。成语“指鹿为马”比喻故意颠倒是非，混淆黑白。 延伸阅读： 枕戈待旦中国成语故事中英对照 IntheWesternJinDynastythereweretwoyoungmen.OneofthemwasZuTiandtheotherwasLiuKun.Bothofthemweremenofidealsandintegritywhowerechivalrousandofasanguinedisposition.Theynotonlywroteexcellentarticlesbutalsowerefondofpractisingmartialartstokeepfit,inordertorendermeritoriousservicetothecountry.BothofthemwerechiefclerksresponsiblefordocumentadministrationinLuoyang.AlthoughinappearancetheJinDynastyhadjurisdictionoftheCentralPlainsprisingthemiddleandlowerreachesoftheHaunchandthreatenedbyforeigninvasion.ZuTiandLiuKunoftentalkedaboutthecountryssituationtilllateintothenight,andeachtimetheytalkingveryexcitedlyagain. 西晋人祖逖和刘琨，都是性格开朗、仗义好侠的志士。年轻时不但文章写得好，而且都喜欢练武健身，决心报效祖国。当时，晋朝表面上还管辖着中原大地，但实际上已是内忧外患，风雨飘摇了。祖逖和刘琨一谈起国家局势，总是慷慨万分，常常聊到深夜。 LiuKunfellasleepwithoutknowingit,butZuTiwastooexcitedtofallasleep.Cock-a-doodle-doo,camethecrowofroosterinthewasteland.ZuTijumpedupandkickedLiuKunawake:Listen.Howinspiringtheroosterscrowis.Letsgetupandpractisedonaslope.Fromthenon,theykeptpractisingswordplayingvigorouslyandenergeticallyinthewastelandeverydaywhentheyheardthefirstcrowinthemorning. 一天，祖逖又和刘琨谈得十分兴奋，刘琨不知什么时候睡着了，祖逖却久久沉浸在谈话的兴奋之中，不能入睡。“喔，喔，喔”荒原上的雄鸡叫了起来，祖逖一跃而起，踢醒了刘琨：“听，这雄鸡啼鸣多么振奋人心呀，快起来练剑吧！”于是，两人操起剑来，在高坡上对舞。从此，他俩每天清早听到头一声鸣叫，一定来到荒原上抖擞神练起剑来。 DeeplymovedbyZuTispatrioticpassion,LiuKunwasdeterminedtodevotehimselftohishomeland.Oncehewrotetohisfamily:Atthetimewhenthecountryisindireperil,Iamresolvedtodedicatemyselttotheserviceofmycountry.IoftenfearthatImightlagbehindZuTiinrenderingservicetothecountry,and,infact,Iambehindhim. 刘琨被祖逖的爱国热情深深感动，决心献身于祖。一次他给家人的信中写道：“在国家危难时刻，我经常枕戈待旦（枕着兵器睡觉一直到天明），立志报国，常担心落在祖逖后边，不想他到底走到我的前头了！” Thewordssleepwithmyheadpillowedonaspear,waitingforthedaytobreakvividlydescribedLiuKunsdeterminationtodedicatehimselftotheserviceofthecountryandtofighttheenemyatanytime.Later,thissetphraseisusedtomeanmaintainingsharpvigilanceandbeingreadytofightatanytime. 故事出自晋书祖逖传。“枕戈待旦”出自刘琨与亲故书，形象地写出了刘琨随时准备杀敌报国的决心。后来用作成语，形容时刻警惕敌人，准备作战。 胸有成竹中国成语故事中英对照 InthesongDynasty(960-1279),therewasascholarwhosenamewasWenTongandwhostyledhimselfYuke.Hewasnotonlyadmiredbyothersforhisgreatlearning,butalsoenjoyedwidespreadrenownforhisbamboodrawing.Everydaytherewerealwaysquiteafewpeoplywhocalledathishousetoaskforoneofhisbamboodrawings. 北宋画家文同，字与可。他画的竹子远近闻名，每天总有不少人登门求画。文同画竹的妙诀在哪里呢？ Actually,WenTonglovedbamboossomuchthathehadgrownvariousbambooseverywherearoundhishouse.Nomatterwhatseasonitwasandnomatterwhetheritwassunnyorrainy,heusedtogotothebambooforesttoobservehowtheyweregrowing.Heponderedoverthelenghtandbreadthofthebamboopolesaswellastheshapesandcoloursoftheleaves.Wheneverhehadgainedanewunderstanding,hewentbacktohisstudy,spreadapieceofpaperandprepareedsomeinkbyrubbinganinkstickonaninkslab,anddrewwhatwasinhismindonthepaper.Throughaumulationoveralongperiodoftime,theimagesofthebambooindifferentseasons,underdifferentweatherconditionsandatdifferentmomentsweredeeplyimprintedinhismind.Sowheneverhestoodbeforethepaperandpickedupapaintingbrushwithconcentratedattention,thevariousformsofthebamboowhichhehadobservedatordinarytimesatoncerosebeforehiseyes.Andsoeverytimehewasdrawingbamboosheappearedconfidentandatease,andallthebambooshehadpaintedwereveryvividandtruetolift. 原来，文同在自己家的房前屋后种上各种样的竹子，无论春夏秋冬，阴睛风雨，他经常去竹林观察竹子的生长变化情况，琢磨竹枝的长短粗细，叶子的形态、颜色，每当有新的感受就回到书房，铺纸研墨，把心中的印象画在纸上。目积月累，竹子在不同季节、不同天气、不同时辰的形象都深深地印在他的心中，只要凝神提笔，在画纸前一站，平日观察到的各种形态的竹子立刻浮现在眼前。所以每次画竹，他都显得非常从容自信，画出的竹子，无不逼真传神。 Whenpeoplespokehighlyofhispaintings,healwayssaidmodestlythathehadjustputtheimagesofthebambooimprintedinhismindonthepaper. 当人们夸奖他的画时，他总是谦虚地说：“我只是把心中琢磨成熟的竹子画下来罢了。” Ayoungmanwantedtolearnbamboodrawing;whenheknewthatChaoBuzhihadmadeaprofoundstudyofWenTongsartofdrawing,hewenttoChaoBuzhiforinstruction.ChaoBuzhiwroteapoemtohim.Inthepoem,therearethefollowingtwolines: WhenYukewaspaintingthebamboos, Hebadtheirimagesreadyinhisbosom. 有位青年想学画竹，得知诗人晁补之对文同的画很有研究，前往求教。晃补之写了一首诗送给他，其中有两句：“与可画竹，胸中有成竹。” Laterpeoplehavesummarizedthelinesashavinghadtheimagesofthebambooreadyinonesbosom,whichmeanshavinghadreadyplansordesignsinonesmindbeforedoingacertainjobsothatitssuessisguaranteed.Itisalsousedgomeanbeingcalmandcool-headedindealingwiththings. “胸有成竹”，比喻做事之前已作好充分准备，对事情的成功已有了十分的把握；又比喻遇事不慌，十分沉着。 ThisstoryesfromanarticlewrittedbySuShiconcerningWenYukesartofbamboodrawing. 故事出自北宋苏轼文与可yndng谷偃竹记。 后来居上中国成语故事中英对照 JiAnlivedatthetimeofEmperorWudioftheWesternHanDynasty(206B.C.-A.D.24).Hewasrespectedforbeinguprightandjustandfordaringtospeakthetruth.Hedidnotbotheraboutamallmattersinpersonalbehaviourandinbeinganofficial.Hewasparticularaboutactualeffectsand,althoughhedidnotcauseastir,hecouldkeeptheprefecturehegovernedinperfectorder.Becauseofthis.theimperialcourttransferredhimtothecentralgovernmentfrombeingtheperfectoftheDonghaiPrefecturetobeingamanderinchargeoftheappointmentanddismissalofthelocalofficals. 汲黯是西汉武帝时代人，以刚直正义、敢讲真话而受人尊重。他为人和做官都不拘小节，讲求实效。虽然表面上不那么轰轰烈烈，却能把一个郡治理得井井有条，因此，朝廷把他从东海太守调到朝廷当主爵都尉一种主管地方吏任免的官职。 Once,EmperorWudisaidthathewouldimplementthepolicyofbenevolenceandjusticeofConfucianismandwoulddogoodturnstothepeople.EmperorWudiHadhardlyfinishedhisremardswhenJiAnsaidthattherewasnoneedfortheemperortosayso.Whyshouldtheemperorbother,JiAnsaid,aboutpretendingtoimplementthepolicyofbenevolenceandjusticesincehewassogreedyandavariciouswithinhimself?Thischokedtheemperoroff.TheemperorsuddenlyChangedhiscountenanceanddeclaredthemeetingover.AllthecivilianandmilitaryofficersatcourtwerebreathlesswithanxietyforfearthatJiAnmightbringdisasteruponhimselfbecauseofthis.Afterreturning,EmperorWudisaidtothepeoplearoundhimthatJiAnwasalittletoorudeandtoostraightforward. 有一次，汉武帝说要实行儒家的仁义之政，为老百姓办好事了。没等皇帝把话说完，汲黯就说：“陛下内心里那么贪婪多欲，表面上却要装得实行仁政，这是何苦呢？”一句话把皇帝噎了回去。汉武帝登时脸色大变，宣布罢朝，满朝文武都为汲黯捏着一把汗，担心他会因此招来大祸。武帝回到宫里以后，对身边的人说，汲黯这个人也未免太粗太直了。 Forthisreason,JiAnwasneverpromotedagain.Whenhewasthemanderinchargeoftheappointmentanddismissalofthelocalofficials,bothGongsunHongandZhangTangwerelow-rankinglfficialsoflittleimportance.Later,theywerepromotedcontinuously.GongsunHongbecametheprimeministerandZhangTangbecametheimperialcensor.However,JiAnspostremainedthesame.Oneday,JiAnsaidtoEmperorWudithatthewaytheemperorusedhisministerswasjustlikepilingupfirewood,whichmeantthatthelateerssurpassedtheold-timers.Ofcourse,EmperorWudicouldseethatJiAnwasplaining.So,turningtohisministers,EmperorWudisaid,Itistruethatnoonecanstoplearning.Yousee,JiAnismakingmoreandmoreindiscreetremarks. 从此以后，汲黯的官职再也没有提升。他当主爵都尉的时候，公孙弘、张汤都还是不起眼的小官，后来，他们一个劲儿住上升，公孙弘当上了丞相，张汤做上了御史大夫，可他汲黯还蹲在原地没动窝。有一天，汲黯对武帝说，陛下使用群臣，跟码劈柴一样，是“后来者居上”啊！汉武帝当然听得出这是发牢骚。于是，转脸对臣下们说：“人真是不能不学习啊！你们听汲黯说话，越来越离谱了！” ThisstoryesfromTheHistoricalRecords.Latergenerationsusethesetphrasethelateerssurpasstheold-timerstoindicatethatsuessorscancxcelthepredecessors,whichisquitedifferentfromtheoriginalideawhenJiAnsaidthatthelateerssurpassedtheold-timers. 故事出自史记汲郑列传。成语“后来居上”，往往指后起的可以胜过先前的。和汲黯说这话的原意，大不相同。 洛阳纸贵中国成语故事中英对照 IntheJinDynasty(265-420)therewasafamouswriterwhosenamewasZuoSiwho,however,wasverynaughtyanddidnotliketostudywhenhewasasmallkid.Hisfatheroftengotangry,andyetyoungZuoSiwasasnaughtyaseverandwouldnotstudyhard. 晋代文学家左思，小时候是个非常顽皮、不爱读书的孩子。父亲经常为这事发脾气，可是小左思仍然淘气得很，不肯好好学习。 Oneday,ZuoSisfatherwaschattingwithhisfriends.hisfriendsenviedhimhiscleverandloverlyson.Hearingthis,Zuosisfathersighed,Pleasedonotmentionhim.MysonZuosidoesnotstudyaswellasIdidwhenIwasyoung,althoughIdidnotstudywellenoughmyself.Itappearsthatheisactuallyagood-for-nothing.Sosaying,helookeddisappointed.AllthiswaswitnessedbyyoungZuoSi.Hefeltverysad,feelingintenselythathewouldnotbeabletohaveabrightfutureifhedidnotstudyhard.Sohewasdeterminedtostudyassiduouslyfromthenon. 有一天，左思的父亲与朋友们聊天，朋友们羡慕他有个聪明可爱的儿子。左思的父亲叹口气说：“快别提他了，小儿左思的学习，还不如我小时候，看来没有多大的出息了。”说着，脸上流露出失望的神色。这一切都被小左思看到听到了，他非常难过，觉得自己不好好念书确实很没出息。于是，暗暗下定决心，一定要刻苦学习。 Dayafterdayandyearafteryear,ZuoSigraduallygrewup.Becauseofhisunremittingaffortsinhardstudy,hebecameaneruditescholarandwroteveryexcellentessays.TheOdetotheCapitaloftheStateofQi,whichtookhimoneyeartowrite,showedhisbrilliantliterarytalentandlaidthefoundationforhisbeinganoutstandingwriter.thenheplannedtowriteanOdetotheCapitalsoftheThreeKingdomsofWei,ShuHanandWuwiththelocalconditionsandcustomsaswellastheproduceofthethreecapitalsasitscontent.Inordertoachievethedesiredeffectincontent,structureandlanguage,heappliedhimselftoresearchworkwithgreatconcentration,andwassoabsorbedincreativewritingastoforgetfoodandsleep.IttookhimtenwholeyearstofinishthewritingofOdetotheCapitalsoftheThreeKingdomsofWei,ShuHanandWu,aliterarymasterpiece. 日复一日，年复一年，左思渐渐长大了，由于他坚持不懈地发奋读书，终于成为一位学识渊博的人，文章也写得非常好。他用一年的时间写成了齐都赋，显示出他在文学方面的才华，为他成为杰出的文学家奠定了基础。这以后他又计划以三国时魏、蜀、吴首都的风土、人情、物产为内容，撰写三都赋。为了在内容、结构、语言诸方面都达到一定水平，他潜心研究，精心撰写，废寝忘食，用了整整十年，文学巨著三都赋终于写成了。 TheOdetotheCapitalsoftheThreeKingdomsofWei,ShuHanandWuwaswellreceivedbythebroadmassesofreadersafteritmadeitsappearancetothepublic,andpeopleconsidereditassuperblywrittenastheOdetotheWesternCapital(Changan)andtotheEasternCapital(Luoyang)writtenbyBanGu(32-92)andtheOdetotheWesternCapitalandtotheEasternCapitalwrittenbyZhangHengoftheHanDynasty(206B.C.toA.D.220).Astheartofprintinghadnotbeeninventedatthattime,peoplewhowerefondofthisOdehadtomakehandwrittencopiesofitthemselves.Asthereweresomanypeoplewhoviedwitheachotherinmakinghandwrittencopies,thesupplyofwritingpaperfellshortofthedemandinLuoyangwentupgreatly. 三都赋受到谅也评，人们把它和汉代文学杰作两都赋相比。由于当时还没有发明印刷术，喜爱三都赋的人只能争相抄阅，因为抄写的人太多，京城洛阳的纸张供不应求，一时间全城纸价大幅度上升。 ThisstoryesfromThelifeofZuoSiinthebookLiteraryFieldofTheHistoryoftheJinDynasty.Basedonthisstory,peoplehavecoinedthesetphrasethepriceofwritingpaperwentupgreatly,meaningtheoverwhelmingpopularityofanewworkcausesshortageofprintingpaper,toshowhowpopularanoutstandingpieceofliteraryworkis. 故事出自晋书文苑左思传。成语“洛阳纸贵”，称颂杰出的作品风行一进。 嗟来之食中国成语故事中英对照 foodhandedoutincontempt嗟来之食 OneyearduringtheSpringandAutumnPeriod(春秋时期,770-476BC),therewasatheQiSt