成语故事双语

篇一：经典成语故事解析(少儿英语双语阅读)

stand out like a camel amongst a group of sheep

鹤立鸡群

Ji Shao, an aide to Emperor Jin Hui during the Jin Dynasty, was handsome and talented. 晋朝时，有一个人叫嵇绍,担任晋惠帝的侍从官。他长得仪表堂堂，而且才能出众。

Once, when his country was being invaded, he accompanied Emperor Jin Hui in defending the country, but, unfortunately, they lost the war. Most of the soldiers died or deserted, but Ji Shao stayed with the emperor to protect him.

一次，有人侵犯京城。嵇绍跟随惠帝前去，征讨叛乱。不料打了败仗，随行的官

Upon seeing this, the people were moved and said:"Ji Shao stand out like a camel amongst a group of sheep, preeminent and superior."

看到嵇绍奋勇杀敌的情景人们都很有感触，说：“嵇绍就像一只鹤站立在鸡群中一样，仪表出众，气度不凡。”

This idiom is currently used to describe prominent people with good looks and impressive abilities among a crowd.

这个成语如今用来形容一些相貌或者是才能特别出众的人。

【文化链接】

成语“鹤立鸡群”既可以表面上形容“一个人因身高高挑在众人中显得突出”，也可以形容“一个人因为相貌或者卓越才能，亦或是出挑的行为在众人中显得突出”，英文中相应表达可以用“stand out like a camel amongst a group of sheep”，本意就是“像一只在羊群中站立的骆驼”。

我们一起来看一个例句：

Because all the other people were waiting in line, I did not want to stand out like a camel amongst a group of sheep, and I decided to wait in line as well.

因为其他所有人都在排队，我可不想鹤立鸡群，所以我决定也去排队啦。

blessing or bane

塞翁失马

Near China's northern borders lived a man called Sai Weng. He raised a lot of horses. 战国时期，靠近北部边城，住着一个姓塞老人, 他养了许多马。

One day, he lost one of his horses. Everyone commiserated with him.

一天，他的一匹走失了，人们听说这件事，跑来安慰他。

"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said Sai Weng.

塞翁说：“没准会带来什么福气呢。”

After a few months, his horse came back, leading a fine horse from the north.

过了几个月，丢失的马不仅自己回了家，还带回一匹匈奴的骏马。

Everyone congratulated him.

所有人都来祝贺塞翁。

"Perhaps this may turn out to be a cause of misfortune," said Sai Weng.

塞翁反而说：“这或许会带来不幸呢。”

Since he was well-off and kept good horses, his son became fond of riding and eventually broke his leg for falling from a horse.

因为塞翁很富有，并且养马养得很好，所以他的儿子也十分喜爱骑马。但没想到有一次骑马时，他的儿子从马上掉了下来，摔断了腿。

Everyone commiserated with him. "Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.

人们于是又去安慰塞翁。但塞翁却说：“也许这次又会带来好运呢。”

One year later, the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions.

一年以后，匈奴入侵边境。

This man's son did not join in the fighting because he was crippled and so he survived.

但是塞翁的儿子因为腿断了便没有被征入当兵队伍之中，而其他很多当兵的青年都战死在了沙场，塞翁的儿子因此保住了性命。

【文化链接】

成语“塞翁失马”如果用于英文表达，可以使用短语“blessing or bane ”,“blessing”的意思是“好运”，“bane”的意思则是“厄运，祸事”，所以放在一起就可以表达“塞翁失马”的意思。

但是，英文表达“blessing or bane ”常会用来单纯的表示“是祸是福”的意思，比如：

Technology, a blessing or a bane?

高科技，是祸是福？

be tarred with the same brush

狼狈为奸

A wolf and a jackal often went hunting together.

狼和狈经常结伴去伤害牲畜。

Once they came to a sheepfold, the walls of which were too high for them to get over.

有一次，狼和狈一起走到一个羊圈外边，栅栏很高，进不去。

Then the wolf stood on the back of the jackal. In this way the wolf climbed over the wall to where the sheep were.

狼就骑在狈的身上，终于爬进了羊圈。

This idiom is used to describe doing evil things in collusion with others.

这个成语比喻坏人相互勾结起来做坏事。

【文化链接】

“be tarred with the same brush”的英文解释是“sharing the same characteristic(s); having the

same good or bad points as someone else.”（有着某种好的或者坏的共同点），所以它既可以表达“狼狈为奸”这样坏的意思，也可以单纯表达“有着某种共同的优点”这样好的意思。

这个短语的由来可能与“tarring of sheep”这个说法有关，牧羊人为了区分自己的羊，就会在羊身上用刷子刷上不同的标签以示区别。所以当说“两个人被同一个刷子刷过”也就是比喻“两个人狼狈为奸，或者有着共同的优点”。

desolate

门可罗雀

Duke Jai was a Han dynasty (汉朝) government official.

汲黯是汉朝的一位名臣。

Because he held a very high-ranking and powerful position, many of his friends, relatives, and even acquaintances whom he barely knew often went to call on him. So all day long, horses and chariots were lined up in front of his house; it was really as if "the courtyard was as crowded as a marketplace."

因为他位高权重，许多他的朋友、亲戚，甚至是泛泛之交的朋友都经常会来拜访他，所以他家总是门庭若市。

Later, however, Duke Jai had the sad misfortune of being removed from office.

后来他不幸被罢免，废了官职。

His friends and relatives then stopped going to see him, and soon the only ones left in front of his house were flock of sparrows which would fly about and stop to rest on his doorstep.

后来他的亲朋好友便渐渐疏远他了，很少再来看望他，他家的门前只剩下一群麻雀，在那里嬉戏。

Not long afterwards, Duke Jai was reinstated. As soon as his friends and relatives heard the news, they all once again began to ride their horses or drive their chariots back to visit him.

不久，皇帝又下诏请他回去做官。 过去常来的客人又纷纷来拜访他了。

Duke Jai, however, was now unwilling to see them, and door reproving those who would only associate with people of wealth and status.

但是汲黯因看清世事，便不愿再看到他们。

Today, we can use this idiom to describe any place which has been deserted, or where people are few.

如今我们可以用成语“门可罗雀”形容门庭冷落，冷冷清清。

【文化链接】

单用英文单词“desolate”就可以表达“冷清荒凉”的意思，比如“冷清的街道”就是“a desolate street”。

下面我们来看一首小诗：

Layin' in front of me are two roads:

在我的面前有两条路：

One flourished with multiple kinds of flowers and plants;

一条花木丛生；

The other , just a scene of desolation.

另一条门可罗雀，

However,I choosed the latter one.

但是我仍然选择了后者。

其中作者形容“人烟稀少的路”就用到了表达“a scene of desolation”，意思就是“另一条路有一点荒凉的感觉”。

run in opposite directions

南辕北辙

Once a man went to the south, but his carriage was heading north.

一次一个人想往南走，但是他的马车却是朝北走的。

A passer-by asked him: "If you are going to the south, why is your carriage heading north?" 一个过路人问他：“如果你想往南走，为什么你的马车却朝北走呢？”

The man said, "My horse is good at running, my driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, and I am rich."

这个人说：“我的马很能跑，我的车夫善于赶车，我又很富有，所以不在乎。”

The man didn't care the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, the further he was far away from his destination.

这个人根本没有考虑到行进的方向也许错了；他的条件越好，反而会离目的地越远。 This idiom came from this story tells that one's action was the opposite effect to one's intention. 这个成语比喻行动和目的正好相反。

【文化链接】

英文中若要表达“南辕北辙”的意思，可以用短语“run in opposite directions”，也就是“朝着相反的方向跑”，翻译美化一下就是“南辕北辙”或者“背道而驰”的意思了。

我们来一起看一个例句：

They wouldn't win at the end because they ran in opposite directions.

因为他们早已南辕北辙了,所以根本不可能赢。

篇二：用英语讲成语故事

用英语讲中国成语故事

成语故事之一

对牛弹琴

古时候，有一个人琴弹得很好。一次，他对着牛弹了一段曲子，希望牛也能欣赏他的技巧。曲子虽然很好听，但是牛却丝毫不理会，只顾埋头吃草。这个人只好叹了口气离开了。 “对牛弹琴”这个成语，比喻对不懂道理的人讲道理。也用来讥笑说话的人不看对象。

Playing the Lute to a Cow

In ancient times there was a man who played the

zither(古筝）very well.Once,he played a tune in front of a cow, hopping that the cow would appreciate it. The tune was melodious(悦耳的），but the cow showed no

reaction, and just kept on eating grass. The man signed

and went away.

This idiom is used to indicate(显示；象征）reasoning with stubben(顽固的；固执的）people or talking to the wrong audience.

成语故事之二

刻舟求剑

战国时期有个楚国的人，得到一把宝剑，非常珍爱。一天，他坐船过江，不小心把宝剑掉到江中去了。他急忙在剑掉下去的船舷上刻了一个记号。船靠岸后，他就从刻有记号的地方跳下水去找他的剑。

“刻舟求剑”这个成语讽刺那些办事迂腐，不知道变通情况的人。

Notching the Boat to Find the Sword

In the Warring States Period, a man in the State of Chu had a sword which he cherished(珍爱；珍惜）very much. One day, when he was crossing a river in a boat, the sword suddenly fell into the water. The man the made a mark on the side of the boat at the spot where the sword had fallen overboard. When the boat reached the shore, he jumped from the spot he marked into

the water to look for his sword.

This idiom satirizes(讽刺）those who stick to rigid rules instead of taking changed circumstances(情况）into account.

一箭双雕

南北朝时代，有个名叫长孙晟的人，聪明敏捷，特别善于射箭。一天他同朋友一起去打猎，忽然看见两支雕在空中争夺一块肉。他的朋友立即给了长孙晟两只箭，说：“你能把两只雕都射下来吗？”长孙晟不慌不忙拉开弓，只射了一箭，就把两只雕同时射下来了。朋友直夸他好箭法。 英语小故事尽在英语学习网

这个成语比喻用一种办法同时得到两种收获或效果。 英语小故事尽在英语学习网 Killing Two Birds with One Stone 英语文章尽在

In the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties(420-589) there was an expert archer named Zhan sun Shang. One day he went hunting together with a friend. Suddenly they saw two vultures fighting for a piece of meat high in the air. His friend handed him two arrows, and said, “Can you shoot down both vultures?” Zhangsun Sheng effortlessly killed both vultures with only one arrow. Mao Sui Recommending Himself

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 negotiate-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.

毛遂自荐

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。

“毛遂自荐”这个成语用来比喻自己推荐自己，不必别人介绍。

Amazing the World with a Single Feat

In the Warring States Period, Duke Wei of Qi neglected state affairs, for the first three years of his reign, giving himself over to dissipation. One of his ministers, Chun Yukun who had a good sense of humor, said to him:” There is a big bird which has neither taken wing nor sung for three years.” The duke answered, “Once that bird starts to fly and sing, it will astonish the world.” The duke thereupon devoted himself to his duties and built his state up into a powerful one.

This idiom is used to indicate that a person may rise from obscurity and achieve greatness. 不鸣则已一鸣惊人

战国时代，齐威王即位后作了三年国君，只顾享乐，不理政事。有个善于说笑话的人叫淳于髡，一天对齐威王说：“城里有一只大鸟，三年不飞也不叫，你知道这是什么道理？”齐威王说：“这鸟不飞则罢，一飞就冲天；不鸣则罢，一鸣就惊人。”在淳于髡的激发下，齐威王开始治理国家，取得很大成绩，齐国的声威一直保持了几十年

篇三：英语成语故事

天衣无缝

Divine Garments Without Seams

There was a man called Guo Han in the Tang Dynasty(618-907).One summer night,

when the moon was very bright he suddenly saw a girl descending slowly from the sky. He observed the girl closely, and found that the dress she was wearing was seamless. He was puzzled, and asked why. The girl answered,"Heavenly clothes are not sewn with needle and thread."

This idiom is used metaphorically to indicate the flawless handling of things. It can

also be used to indicate a perfectly written poem or other literary article.

唐朝有个人教郭翰。一个夏天的晚上，月光非常明亮，他忽然看见天空中有个女

子轻盈而缓慢地飘落下来。他仔细地观察那个女子，发现她身上穿的衣服连一条缝也没有，感到非常奇怪，便问那个女子。女子回答说：“天衣本来就用不着针线缝合的呀！”

这个成语用来比喻处理事情十分周密，不露一点痕迹。也比喻诗文写得很精辟，

找不出一点毛病。 黔驴技穷

从前，贵州没有驴子，有人从外地带回一头驴子，拴在山下，一只老虎看到了，以为是什么怪物，急忙躲到树林中去头头地瞧。驴子大叫一声，老虎吓了一跳，以为驴子要吃掉自己。时间一长，老虎觉得驴子没有什么恶意，逐渐走近去戏弄它，触犯它。驴子生气了，用蹄子踢老虎。老虎心里想：“你的本领不过就是如此啊！”于是立刻扑过去，一口把它咬死吃掉了。 这个成语比喻仅有的一点本事也用完了，在没有别的办法了。

The Guizhou Donkey Has Exhausted It's Tricks

In ancient times there were no donkeys in Guizhou province. Somebody brought a donkey from somewhere and tied it to a tree at the foot of a mountain. A tiger saw the donkey, and thought that it must be a fearsome monster. It hide behind a tree and spied on the donkey. When the donkey brayed, the tiger was frightened, thinking that the donkey was about to devour it. After a while, seeing that the donkey had not moved, the tiger approached it and teased it. The donkey became angry, and kicked the tiger. The tiger thought to itself:"It then all it is capable of?" It then jumped on the donkey and ate it.

This idiom is used to mean that one has exhauseted one's skills.

破镜重圆

A Broken Mirror Joined Together

This set phrase metaphorically means the reunion of husband and wife after an enforced separation or a rupture.

At the end of Southern Dynasties,when the Chen Dynasty was about to be overthrown. Xú Déyán felt very worried.He foreknew that his wife Princess Lè Chāng was destined to separate from him.

His wife is the last Emperor Chén Shūbǎo's younger sister.

Hence he broke a round bronze mirror into halves.

One half is given to the Princess,the other half left with himself.

The couple agreed on it that the wife would pretend to sell the broked mirror in the street of Cháng'ān,the capital of the Suí Dynasty,on the Lantern Festival.

After the fall of Chén Dynasty,Princess Lè Chāng was captured and sent to Chang'an and forced to be a concubine-servant in the mansion of Yáng Sù.

Xú Déyán missed his wife very much and went to the captial to look for her.

On the 15th day of the first lunar month,he found a man selling half the mirror.

After asking the man,he knew that his wife had been a concubine-servant of Yáng Sù. Thinking that he could not see her again,he sighed a great sorrow.

Having known the matter,Yáng Sù felt much sympathy for the couple.He sent for Xú Déyán and told him to take wife away.Thus the husband and the wife were reunited into a happy couple.

自相矛盾

A man of the state of Chu had a spear and a shield for sale. He was loud in praises of his shield.

"My shield is so strong that nothing can pierce it through."

He also sang praises of his spear.

"My spear is so strong that it can pierce through anything."

"What would happen," he was asked, "if your spear is used to pierce your shield?"

It is impossible for an impenetrable shield to coexist with a spear that finds nothing impenetrable.

刻舟求剑

A man from the state of Chu was crossing a river. In the boat, his sword fell into the water. Immediately he made a mark on the boat.

"This is where my sword fell off," he said.

When the boat stopped moving, he went into the water to look for his sword at the place where he had marked the boat.

The boat had moved but the sword had not. Is this not a very foolish way to look for a sword?

井底之蛙

Have you not heard of the frog that lived in a shallow well? It said to a turtle that lived in the East Sea, "I am so happy! When I go out, I jump about on the railing beside the mouth of the well. When I come home, I rest in the holes on the broken wall of the well. If I jump into the water, it comes up to my armpits and holds up my cheeks. If I walk in the mud, it covers up my feet. I look around at the wriggly worms, crabs and tadpoles, and none of them can compare with me. Moreover, I am lord of this trough of water and I stand up tall in this shallow well. My happiness is full. My dear sir, why don't you come often and look around my place?"

Before the turtle from the East Sea could get its left foot in the well, its right knee got stuck. It hesitated and retreated. The turtle told the frog about the East Sea.

"Even a distance of a thousand li cannot give you an idea of the sea's width; even a height of a thousand ren cannot give you an idea of its depth. In the time of King Yu of the Xia dynasty, there were floods nine years out of ten, but the waters in the sea did not increase. ln the time of King Tang of the Shang dynasty there were droughts seven years out of eight, but the waters in the sea did not decrease. The sea does not change along with the passage of time and its level does not rise or fall according to the amount of rain that falls. The greatest happiness is to live in the East Sea."

After listening to these words, the frog of the shallow well was shocked into realization of his own insignificance and became very ill at ease.

Hide the ears and stole the bell(掩耳盗铃)

Once upon a time,there was a very foolish man.But he himself didn't think so.He thought that he was very clever.One day,he saw a family hanging up a beautiful bell.He liked the bell and wanted to steal it.

But if he put his idea into practice,he must touch the bell,and the bell would make a noise.Then other people would hear the noise and catch him.How to avoid the state?

Suddenly a good idea came across his mind.He took action.The man hide his ears behind his hands.Then he used his right arm to leave his right hand.He took his right hand to steal the bell.The bell rang,but he could't hear it.The people heard the bell ringing and caught the man. But the man was still very confused and asked:"How did you hear the noise?"

Ha ha,what a foolish man!

Amazing the World with a Single FeatIn the Warring States Period, Duke Wei of Qi neglected state affairs, for the first three years of his reign, giving himself over to dissipation. One of his minister, Chun Yukun who had a good sense of humour, said to him:”There is a big bird which has neigher taken wing nor sung for three years.” The duke answered, “Once that bird starts to fly and sing, it will astonish the world.” The duke thereupon devoted himself to his duties and built his state up into a powerful one.This idiom is used to indicate that a person may rise from obscurity and achieve greatness.

战国时代，齐威王即位后作了三年国君，只顾享乐，不理政事。有个善于说笑话的人叫淳于髡，一天对齐威王说：“城里有一只大鸟，三年不飞也不叫，你知道这是什么道理？”齐威王说：“这鸟不飞则罢，一飞就冲天；不鸣则罢，一鸣就惊人。”在淳于髡的激发下，齐威王开始治理国家，取得很大成绩，齐国的声威一直保持了几十年。

中国有句俗语，“一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳”。

这个俗语真要讲的就是，很久很久以前，人们还都是用井水的那个年代。有两个小朋友，名字叫做“一朝”和“十年”，他们是好朋友，每天都在一起玩耍、做游戏。有一天，他们在井边玩耍，突然，趴在井口边的“一朝”被一条攀在井绳上的蛇咬了一口。在一边的“十年”听到好朋友的哭喊赶快看过去，这时那条蛇已经逃之夭夭了。他只看到了井绳和好朋友“一朝”的痛苦。因为“十年”很年幼，所以他把井绳和痛苦联系在了一起，认为是井绳咬了好

朋友。从那以后，就流传下来了“一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳”的说法。从这个故事中，可见人们对灾祸感受之深。 解释:比喻遭过一次挫折以后就变得胆小怕事

Long, long ago, people were still using well water in those days. There were two children, called the "once" and "Decade," they were good friends and played together every day . One day, they played near the well, suddenly,” once” was bitten by a snake climbing on the hemp rope when he lying on the wellhead side. "Decade" , on the other side , heard the cry of friend and quickly run to look at him, when the snake had been away. He only saw hemp rope and "once" suffering. Because the "Decade" very young, so he link hemp rope and suffering together, considered hemp rope bitten his friend. Since then, they have been handed down on "once bitten, twice shy".

This idiom Metaphor: people becomes too timid after a setback.