英文成語故事（通用8篇）
成語故事是我國歷史的一部分，成語是歷史的積淀，每一個成語的背后都有一個含義深遠的故事，是我國幾千年以來人民智慧的結晶。其特點是深刻雋永，言簡意賅。下面是小編給大家帶來英文成語故事，希望對大家有幫助！
英文成語故事 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.
英文成語故事 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(燒杯，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.
英文成語故事 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(樹樁) 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(諷刺，挖苦) those who just wait for a stroke of luck, rather than making efforts to obtain what they need.
英文成語故事 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.
戰國時期，靠近北部邊城，住著一個老人，名叫塞翁。塞翁養了許多馬，一天，他的馬群中忽然有一匹走失了。鄰居們聽說這件事，跑來安慰，勸他不必太著急，年齡大了，多注意身體。塞翁見有人勸慰，笑了笑說：“丟了一匹馬損失不大，沒準會帶來什么福氣呢�！�
鄰居聽了塞翁的話，心里覺得很好笑。馬丟了，明明是件壞事，他卻認為也許是好事，顯然是自我安慰而已。過了幾天，丟失的馬不僅自動返回家，還帶回一匹匈奴的駿馬。
鄰居聽說了，對塞翁的預見非常佩服，向塞翁道賀說：“還是您有遠見，馬不僅沒有丟，還帶回一匹好馬，真是福氣呀�！�
塞翁聽了鄰人的祝賀，反而一點高興的樣子都沒有，憂慮地說：“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。”
鄰居們以為他故作姿態純屬老年人的狡猾。心里明明高興，有意不說出來。
塞翁有個獨生子，非常喜歡騎馬。他發現帶回來的那匹馬顧盼生姿，身長蹄大，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，他高興得有些過火，打馬飛奔，一個趔趄，從馬背上跌下來，摔斷了腿。鄰居聽說，紛紛來慰問。
塞翁說：“沒什么，腿摔斷了卻保住性命，或許是福氣呢�！编従觽冇X得他又在胡言亂語。他們想不出，摔斷腿會帶來什么福氣。
不久，匈奴兵大舉入侵，青年人被應征入伍，塞翁的兒子因為摔斷了腿，不能去當兵。入伍的青年都戰死了，唯有塞翁的兒子保全了性命。
英文成語故事 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.
戰國時代，秦國軍隊攻打趙國的都城。趙國的平原君打算親自到楚國去請救兵，想挑選一個精明能干的人一同前去。有一個名叫毛遂的人，自告奮勇愿意同去。平原君到楚國后，與楚王談了半天，沒有一點結果。毛遂怒氣沖沖地拿著寶劍，逼近楚王，終于迫使楚王答應出兵，與趙國聯合共同抵抗秦國。
This idiom means to recommend oneself.“毛遂自薦”這個成語用來比喻自己推薦自己，不必別人介紹。
英文成語故事 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.
此語出自《三國志魏志盧毓傳》。三國時代,魏國的大臣盧毓,自幼父母雙亡,兩位兄長又先后去世,他成了孤兒。但他刻苦學習,終于成了很有才學的人,而且做了朝廷大臣。他為官清正、廉潔,因而連連提升,后被任命為吏部尚書,負責官吏的任免。
盧毓升任吏部尚書后,他原擔任的中書郎職務空缺,需要選拔人補上,當時有很多大臣都推薦一些有名氣的人來擔任,但都被魏文帝拒絕了。魏文帝曹睿要盧毓選好這個官,并對他說:“這次選拔中書郎,能否選到合適的人,就看你了。千萬不要選那些只有虛名而沒有真才實學的人,虛名就像在地上畫的餅,是不能充饑的�！�
盧毓對此說出了他的意見:“陛下說得很對,選拔不能只看名氣,但名氣也能反映一定的.實際情況,如果是修養、才學都好而有名氣就不應該嫌棄,主要看他們是否有真才實學�！�
英文成語故事 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，曹操率領部隊去討伐張繡，天氣熱得出奇，驕陽似火，天上一絲云彩也沒有，部隊在彎彎曲曲的山道上行走，兩邊密密的樹木和被陽光曬得滾燙的山石，讓人透不過氣來。到了中午時分，士兵的衣服都濕透了，行軍的速度也慢下來，有幾個體弱的士兵竟暈倒在路邊。
曹操看行軍的速度越來越慢，擔心貽誤戰機，心里很是著急�？墒牵巯聨兹f人馬連水都喝不上，又怎么能加快速度呢？他立刻叫來向導，悄悄問他：“這附近可有水源？”向導搖搖頭說：“泉水在山谷的那一邊，要繞道過去還有很遠的路程�！辈懿傧肓艘幌抡f，“不行，時間來不及�！彼戳丝辞斑叺臉淞郑了剂艘粫䞍�，對向導說：“你什么也別說，我來想辦法�！彼来丝碳词瓜旅钜蟛筷牸涌焖俣纫矡o濟于事。腦筋一轉，辦法來了，他一夾馬肚子，快速趕到隊伍前面，用馬鞭指著前方說：“士兵們，我知道前面有一大片梅林，那里的梅子又大又好吃，我們快點趕路，繞過這個山丘就到梅林了！”士兵們一聽，仿佛已經吃到嘴里，精神大振，步伐不由得加快了許多。
故事出自《世說新語假譎》。成語“望梅止渴”，比喻用空想安慰自己或他人。
英文成語故事 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.宋國的一個農民，因家境貧寒，生活極為清苦，全靠一件爛麻衣抵御冬天的嚴寒。
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.春天來后，農夫在田里耕地，累了坐在田頭休息時，覺得太陽暖融融的，舒服而愜意，遠比爛麻衣溫暖。
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.”這農民不知道人間寬敞舒適的房子都可居住，也不清楚綿綢和皮衣可以保暖。農民為自己的這一新發現激動不已，興奮地對妻子說：“曬太陽是如此令人愉快，而人們卻還不知道。我要把這一秘密獻給國王，國王為了表彰我的忠誠，一定會給我很多賞賜物品�！�
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