古代成语故事英语

During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), prince Zhou Xu of the State of Wei killed his brother and became the new emperor. Zhou Xu was a tyrant. He oppressed his people and indulged in wars of agGREssion. By launching wars, he tried to divert the people's attention and reduce their discontent with him in order to consolidate his dictatorship.

The Duke of the State of Lu leant about Zhou Xu's usurpation of state power and his ambitious plan, he asked a senior official, "What do you think about Zhou Xu's move? "The official answered, "He indulges in wars , bringing his people much disaster. He won't get their support. And he's capricious, so few of his close friends follow him. He can never achieve his success. In addition, war is like fire. If one launches wars endlessly without restraint, he'll eventually burn himself. "

Sure enough, the people of Wei with the help of the State of Chen overthrew Zhou Xu and killed him in less than a year.

Later, people use it to mean that those who do evil will finally ruin themselves.

Imitating Another without Success and Losing What Used to Be One'sOwn Ability

Tradition has it that more than 2,oooyears ago,there lived a young man in the Shouling area of the State of Yan.As his name is not known ,we just call him Shouling young man for convenience's sake.

self confident He was at a loss as to how to behave all the time.

His family members advised him to overcome this shortcoming,but he thought they were fond of poking their noses into his business and were unwilling to provide him with tuition fee.His relatives and neighbours sneered at him,saying that he would never be able to learn anything.Asthe days went by,he even began to doubt whether he should walk the way he did,for he felt more and more that his walking gestures were too clumsy and awkward.

One day,he met some people on the road who werechattingand laughing.One of themsaid that people in Handan walked most gracefully.And thatwas just what he was most concerned about,so he hurreed towards themand wanted to make further inquiries.To his surprise,when these people saw him,they stalked off laughing.

He could not picture to himself in what way their walking gestures were graceful,no matter how hard he racked his parents one day.He went to Handanwhich was far away to learn how to walk.

As soon as he arrived in Handan,he was dazzled to find that everything was novel.He learned from the children there how to walk,because he thought that the children's walking gestures were lively and pleasing to the eye.He learnd from the old people there how to walk,because he thought the old people's walking gestures were steady .He learnd from the women there how to walk,because he thought the women' swaying walking gestures were beautiful.That being the case with him ,in less than half a month he even forgot how to walk.As he had already used up his traveling expenses,he had to crawl back home.

Thisstory come from the article"Autumn Water"in The Works of Xhuang Zi(Zhuang Zi was a famous ancient Chinese philosopher of about 300B.c.).Later the set phrase"initating another without success and losing what used to be one's own ability"is used to refer to acts of copying others mechanisally in disregard of specififc conditions.

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.

如果觉得学英语觉得枯燥的话，可以加点乐趣的元素进去。我在此献上 英语 故事 ，希望对你有所帮助。

成语 寓言故事 :Losing One's Head忘乎所以

The gorillas in the valleys in the south often lived together in groups of several tens. They were fond of drinking wine, and even fonder of imitating man's behavior.

南方山谷里的猩猩，常常数十成群地生活在一起。它们喜欢喝酒，更喜欢模仿人的行为。

People knew very well their habits and often put wine or distiller's grains on the roadside together with many straw sandals connected together with ropes.

人们掌握了它们的习性，经常把酒或酒糟放在路边，旁边又放着许多草鞋，草鞋用绳索连接起来。

The gorillas knew this was a trick to lure them into traps and cursed:

猩猩知道这是人们引诱它们上当，便破口大骂:

"Humph! Do you think we don't know your tricks? We'll never be taken in!"

“哼!你们以为我们不知道吗?我们决不上你们的当!”

So they called one another, turned round and left.

于是，互相招呼，回头就走。

But they had already smelled the aroma of the wine, and couldn't bear to part with it. Even after they left, they would turn their heads to look back. When they saw no one there, they would turn back; and after they turned back, they were afraid of being deceived, and left again. After much hesitation, they finally said to themselves:

但是，它们已经闻到了酒香，总有点恋恋不舍，就是走了，也要回过头来望望。回头望不见人，便又转过来;转过来了又怕上当，再返身回去。犹豫了好久，它们最后自言自语地说:

"Just for a taste of the wine. It won't matter as long as we don't get drunk."

“去尝尝味道，不喝醉就不碍事。”

Shortly afterwards, they agreed to come back to drink the wine. When they got drunk, they forgot everything. Every gorilla put on the straw sandals and imitated the way man walks.

不一会儿，大家同意了，都回来喝酒。等到喝醉的时候，它们一切都忘记了，一个个穿上草鞋，学着人走路。

As a result, they fell down one after another and were all caught alive by people.

结果，一个个都跌倒了，统统被人活捉。

成语寓言故事:A Half Day's Leisure半日清闲

One day, a high official wanted to amuse himself in a temple.

一天，有一个大官，要到寺院里去游玩。

His subordinates notified the monks in the temple three days in advance to prepare a good meal on time. So all the monks in the temple busied themselves with the preparation.

他的手下人便在三天前就通知寺院里的和尚，准时备好饭菜。于是，寺院里所有的和尚，都忙着张罗了起来。

The temple was situated in a remote mountain, surrounded by bamboo groves, and very tranquil. After the high official had strolled about for a while, he was very pleased. While dining, he recited lines from a poem of the Tang Dynasty:

寺院坐落在深山里，四面都是竹林，的确非常清静。大官游玩了一番之后，非常高兴，一面吃饭，一面吟起了唐人的诗句:

"Passing through the bamboo courtyard and meeting a monk,A half day's leisure is gained in this fleeting life."

“因过竹院逢僧话，又得浮生半日闲。”

When the old monk heard these lines of the poem, he couldn't help laughing.

老和尚听了诗句，不觉笑了起来。

The high official asked hastily:

大官连忙问道:

"What are you laughing about?"

“你笑什么?”

The old monk replied:

老和尚回答道:

"Your Honour have indeed gained a half day's leisure, but I have been busy for three whole days."

“您老人家固然清闲了半天，可是我老和尚却已经忙了整整三天!”

成语寓言故事:The Kingfisher Moves Its Nest翠鸟迁巢

In order to avoid calamities, at first the kingfisher always selects a high place to build its nest.

翠鸟起先为了避免灾祸，总是选择高的地方筑巢。

But when the young birds are hatched, it will move to a place a little lower to build its nest. This is because the kingfisher is particularly fond of its offspring and is afraid they而ght fall down from a high place.

但是，等到孵出小鸟以后，它就到少许低一点儿的地方筑巢。这是因为它特别爱护小鸟，生怕它们从高处摔下来。

When the young birds grow beautiful feathers, the kingfisher will become even fonder of them and more protective, so it will move its nest further downward, with the result that the young birds are easily taken away by people.

等到小鸟长出了美丽的羽毛以后，母鸟就更加喜欢和爱护它们了，于是又向下搬巢，结果小翠鸟却被人们轻而易举地掏走了。