成语故事 英文版

1. 成语故事 英文版

掩耳盗铃Plugging One's Ears While Stealing a Bell 
春秋时侯，晋国贵族智伯灭掉了范氏。有人趁机跑到范氏家里想偷点东西，看见院子里吊着一口大钟。钟是用上等青铜铸成的，造型和图案都很精美。小偷心里高兴极了，想把这口精美的大钟背回自已家去。可是钟又大又重，怎么也挪不动。他想来想去，只有一个办法，那就是把钟敲碎，然后再分别搬回家。 
小偷找来一把大大锤，拼命朝钟砸去，咣的一声巨响，把他吓了一大跳。小偷着慌，心想这下糟了，这种声不就等于是告诉人们我正在这里偷钟吗？他心里一急，身子一下子扑到了钟上，张开双臂想捂住钟声，可钟声又怎么捂得住呢！钟声依然悠悠地传向远方。 

他越听越害怕，不同自由地抽回双手，使劲捂住自已的耳朵。“咦，钟声变小了，听不见了！”小偷高兴起来，“妙极了！把耳朵捂住不住就听不进钟声了吗！”他立刻找来两个布团，把耳朵塞住，心想，这下谁也听不见钟声了。于是就放手砸起钟来，一下一下，钟声响亮地传到很远的地方。人们听到钟声蜂拥而至把小偷捉住了。 
故事出自《吕氏春秋�6�1自知》“掩耳盗钟”被说成“掩耳盗铃”，比喻愚蠢自欺的掩饰行为。 
Plugging One's Ears While Stealing a Bell 
During the Spring and Autumn period,Zhi Bo of the State of Jin destroyed Fan's family.Taking advantage of this occasion,a man went to Fan's house and tried to steal something.As soon as the man entered the gate,he saw that there hung a big bell in the courtyard.The bell was cast in high-quality bronza,and was beautiful in design and shape.The theif was very glad,and decided to carry this beautiful bell back home.But no matter how hard he tried,he could not move the bell,because the bell was both big and heavy.He thought and thought again,and believed there was only one way to solve the problem.He had to break the bell to pieces before he was able to carry them back to his home separately. 
The thief found a big iron hammer,with which he struck the bell with all his might.The striking produced an enormous crashing sound,which might.The striking produced an enormous crashing sound,which made the thief terribly frightened.The thief got flurried,thinking that it was too bad to have produced the crashiing sound which would himself on the bell,trying to muffle the crashing sound with his arms.But how could the crashing sound of the bell be muffled?The crashing sound still kept drifting melodiously to distant places.The more he listened to the sound,the more frightened hw became.He xubconsciously shrank back,and covered his ears hard with his hands."Hey,the sound becomes fainter,inaudible,"the thief became cheerful at once," wonderful!The sound of the bell can not be heard when the ears are covered."He immediately got some odd bits of cloth,made two rolls with them,and had his ears plugged with the two cloth rolls.He thought that in this way nobody could hear the sound of the bell.Feeling relieved,he began striking the bell,one blow after another.The resounding sound of the bell was heard at distant places,and finally people caught the thief by gracing the sound. 
This story comes from"Knowing Yourself" in The Annals by Buwei,written just before the Qin Dynasty（221-207 B.C.）was founded.Allegedly,when Li Yuan,Emperor Gao Zu of the Tang Dynasty（618-907），read this story,he felt it simply ridiculous and said,"This is what is called plugging one's ears while stealing a bell." 
Later,people have used the set phrase "plugging one's ears while stealing a bell" to refer to the ignorance and foolishness of the person who deceives himself as well as others.

2. 成语故事大全英文版？

　　成语故事既能开阔视野、增长知识,又能懂得许多做人做事的道理,更能锻炼人的语言表达能力,下面这些是我为大家推荐的几篇。 
   　　1：子罕拒玉  
  　　A farmer in the state of Song once got a piece of stone with jade in it. 
 
  　　宋国人有个农夫得到一块含宝玉的石头后，将它献给了相国子罕。 
 
  　　He presented this stone to Prime Minister Zi Han. But Zi Han refused to accept it. xiaogushi8 The farmer explained, “It looks like just a stone, but there is jade inside. It actually is a piece of treasure and suitable for honorable men like you, not for us mon people.” 
 
  
 
  　　子罕拒绝接受这块石头，农夫解释说：“表面上它是块石头，但里面含有宝玉，是个宝物，适合您这样的贵人使用，我们普通百姓用它就不合适了。” 
 
  　　“I know there is jade inside,” Zi Han said,” but I disagree with you. xiaogushi8 I think to have the virtue of declining things that do not belong to oneself is the real treasure. ” 
 
  　　子罕说：“我知道里面是宝玉。但我的观点和你不同，我认为具有不接受不应得的东西的品德才是真正的宝玉。” 
   　　2:讳疾忌医  
  　　A famous doctor, Bian Que, after seeing Duke Huan of the state of Cai, told him that his illness had intruded into his skin and he needed to be treated immediately. 
 
  　　名医扁鹊见到蔡桓公后，告诉桓公他的疾病已入侵面板，要赶快治疗。 
 
  　　But the Duke felt he was in good health and thought that Bian Que just wanted to take credit, so he ignored him. 
 
  　　桓公觉得自己的身体很好，认为扁鹊是想邀功，就没有理睬。 
 
  　　Ten days later, Bian Que advised the Duke to take treatments when the illness was only ion the flesh, but the Duke still had not said anything. 
 
  　　十天后，扁鹊劝说桓公趁病入侵肌体，英语小故事尽快诊治，桓公还是不吱声。 
 
  　　Another then days had passed before Bian Que told the Duke that his illness had moved to his intestines and stomach. xiaogushi8 But the king still did not believe hi, Another ten days later, when Bian Que saw the Duke, he said nothing and turned around and left. 
 
  　　又过了十天，扁鹊说桓公病人肠胃，桓公还是不信。再过十天，扁鹊见到桓公，一句话没说，转身便离开了。 
 
  　　Duke Huan sent people to ask for the reason, and Bian Que answered that when the illness was in skin, flesh, intestines and stomach, it could be cured through sticking medicines, fumigating and washing, acupuncture, or taking medicines that can eliminate internal heat, etc. Now the illness was in the bones, it could not be cured any more. 
 
  　　桓公派人去问他，扁鹊说，病在面板、肌体、肠胃可以通过敷药、薰药、针灸、服用清火药剂等手段治疗，现已病已骨髓，治不好了。 
 
  　　Five days later, Duke Huan ached all over the body. But at this time, xiaogushi8 Bian Que had already fled to the state of Qin. Before long, the Duke died of his incurable illness. 
 
  　　五天以后，桓公浑身疼痛，而扁鹊已逃往秦国。不久，桓公因伤病发作，治疗无效而死去。 
   　　3:自胜为强  
  　　Zeng Zi saw Zi Xia and asked him, “Why have you gained weight?” 
 
  　　曾子见到子夏，问道：“你怎么胖了?” 
 
  　　Zi Xia said, “I had a victory, that is why I have gained weight.” 
 
  　　子夏说：“我获得了胜利，所以胖了。” 
 
  　　“What victory do you refer to?” Zi Xia said, “When I immerged myself in reading books, xiaogushi8 I revered the principles of the emperors and sages of the past. When I went out, I admired the life of nabodi *** . There was a fight between the two in my mind, and they came out even. So I got emaciated. Now that the principles of the emperors and sages of the past have won victory, my mind has bee more and more peaceful. So I have gained weight.” 
 
  　　曾子问：“你是指什么?”子夏说：“我埋头读书时，敬仰先生至圣的道理，出门在外则羡慕富贵生活的快乐，英语短文两者在心中交战，难分胜负，所以瘦了下来。现在，先王至圣的道理获胜了，心中也日益安宁，所以人也胖了起来。” 
 
  　　 的人还： 
 
  1.英文成语故事带翻译 
 
  2.成语故事英文版 
 
  3.成语故事英文精选 
 
  4.成语故事英文 
 
  5.成语故事中英文

3. 英文版成语故事有哪些

英文版成语故事:

凿壁偷光

Kuang Heng was born in a poor family. He liked reading books very much. He needed to work at daytime, so he had to read books during night. But he was too poor to buy a candle.
One day, he found his neighbour had candles, but the light couldn’t go through his room. So he dug a small hole on the wall so that he could use the light to read books. From that day, he read books every night until the light went out.
However, he finished reading all his books and there were no books for him to read. Then he went to a rich man’s house and worked for him without payment. The rich man asked: “ Why don’t you want the money?” Kuang Heng said: “ Because I only want to borrow your books.” The rich man agreed. Kuang Heng read the books one by one.
Finally, he became a great scholar.

匡衡勤奋好学，但家中没有蜡烛。邻家有蜡烛，但光亮照不到他家，匡衡就在墙壁上凿了洞引来邻家的光亮，让光亮照在书上读书。
县里有个大户人家不怎么识字，但家中富有，有很多书。匡衡就到他家去做雇工，但不要报酬。
主人感到很奇怪，问他为什么这样，他说：“我希望读遍主人家的书。”主人听了，深为感叹，就借给匡衡书。于是匡衡成了一位伟大的学者。

4. 英文版成语故事有哪些?

英文版的《守株待兔》如下：
Once upon a time, there was a farmer. One day, while he was working in the fields, he saw a hare run into a tree stump accidentally and die of a broken neck.

从前，有一个农夫。一天，在他耕田的时候，忽然跑过来一只野兔，恰好碰在一个树桩上，脖子折断死了。

The farmer took the hare home and cooked a delicious meal for himself.

农夫把兔子拾回家去，美美地吃了一顿兔肉。

That night he thought: "I needn't work so hard. All I have to do is wait every day by the stump to pick up the hare that runs into it."

当晚，他就想：“我何必辛辛苦苦的种地呢？每天在树桩旁等着捡撞死的野兔就好了”。

So from then on he gave up farming, and stood by the tree stump waiting for the hare to come and run into it.

于是他从此不再耕种，每天在树桩旁等待野兔的到来。

But from then on, he never saw another hare run into the tree stump.

但是，从那以后，他再没有发现一只野兔撞在树桩上。

成语寓意
野兔撞在树桩上死去，这是非常偶然的事，它并不意味着，别的野兔也一定会撞死在这个树桩上。可是，这个农夫竟然以偶然当作必然，不惜放下农具，任其耕田荒芜，专等偶然的收获。
这个故事告诫我们：不要存有侥幸心理，不要总想着不劳而获，如果不付出努力，而寄希望于意外之财，结果只能是竹篮打水一场空。我们的生活是要靠自己的双手去一点点地创造的，如果总想不劳而获，那么人生就会像这个宋国人的田地一样荒废掉。

5. 求英文版成语故事

According to legend is in the warring states period (475-221 B.C., a farmer, with the lamb, and the lark. Meet a good year, also just eat satisfied wear warm; In a famine, or will be starved. He wants to improve life, but he is too lazy, the courage and especially small, do are lazy and afraid, total want to encounter send the door to windfall. Miracle is finally happening. Autumn day, he was in the field in hunting someone nearby farmland,. The sound of Shouting around the small beast rise and fall, frightened 11-minute run. Suddenly, there was a rabbit, unbiased, a bump dead in his tanabe of roots. That day, he enjoyed a big feast. From then on, he ceases to sow the land. Day and night, observing the miraculous stump, waiting for the miracle. Idiom "waiting", the analogy, paranoia no pain or narrow experience, but not adaptations.

6. 英语成语故事中英对照

    　　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。

7. 经典英语成语故事中英双语

    　　想要学好英语，一定要懂得  学习     方法   。有趣的学习方法能让你的英语水平提升得更快，我在此献上  英语     故事   ，希望对你有所帮助。
        　　  成语    寓言故事  :Tyranny Is Fiercer than Tigers苛政猛于虎 
       　　In ancient times, at the foot of Mount Tai surrounded by mountains, one often heard of tales of tigers devouring people
       　　古代，在群山环抱的泰山脚下，常常听到老虎吃人的事情。
       　　One day, Confucius and his disciples passed by Mount Tai. As they walked along, his disciples talked about what they had heard and seen.
       　　有一天，孔子带着弟子路过泰山。弟子们一边走，一边谈论着所见所闻。
       　　Suddenly, they heard someone weeping in the distance. They went over and saw a young woman who, with her head covered with a white kerchief, wore white cotton clothes, trousers, shoes and stockings. She was kneeling in front of a new grave and weeping bitterly. The disciples didn't know what to do. Confucius ordered one of them to go forward and ask:
       　　忽然，听到远处传来哭声。大家便走了过去，一看原来是一个年轻的妇女，头上包着白色的头巾，身上穿着白布衣裤，脚上套着白布鞋袜，正跪在一座新坟前面痛哭。弟子们不知如何是好，孔子叫弟子上前询问:
       　　"Who has died? Why are you weeping in such sorrow?"
       　　“死了谁?你为什么哭得这么伤心?”
       　　The woman raised her head, wiped her red and swollen eyes, sobbed and answered intermittently:
       　　妇女抬起头来，擦着红肿的眼睛，抽泣着断断续续地回答:
       　　"In the past, my father-in-law was devoured by a tiger. Later, my husband was devoured by a tiger too. Now my son has also been bitten to death by a tiger."
       　　“从前，我的公公被老虎吃掉了。后来，我的丈夫又被老虎吃掉了。如今，我的儿子也被老虎咬死了。”
       　　Confucius' disciple asked worriedly:
       　　孔子的弟子着急地问道:
       　　"The tiger harmed the lives of three generations of your family. Why didn't you leave this place earlier and move to somewhere else?"
       　　“老虎伤害了你家三代人的性命，你为什么不早点儿离开这里，搬到别处去呢?”
       　　The woman sobbed, saying:
       　　妇女哭着说:
       　　"There are tigers here, but there are no exorbitant taxes, levies or heavy corvee here!" When Confucius heard this, he turned to his disciples and said:
       　　“这里有老虎，但是没有苛捐杂税和繁重的摇役啊!孔子听到这儿，回过头来，对弟子们说:
       　　"Remember, tigers devour people, but tyranny is fiercer than tigers!"
       　　“你们记住，老虎吃人，可是苛政比老虎还要凶猛啊!”
        　　成语寓言故事:A Torch Lit Before the Palace to Enlist Men of Virtue庭燎招贤 
       　　Huan Gong, King of the State of Qi and the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period, in order to show his sincerity to enlist able and virtuous men and scholars from various places, had a bright torch lit in front of his palace day and night. But the torch had been burning for one whole year, and yet nobody came.
       　　春秋时期的第一霸王齐桓公，为了表明自己招贤纳士的诚意，在宫廷前燃起了明亮的火炬，准备日夜接待各地前来的人才。但是，火炬燃烧了整整一年，也没有人前来求见。
       　　One day, a villager from the eastern suburb of the capital wished to have an audience with Huan Gong, claiming that he had the ability to recite the multiplication table.
       　　一天，来了一个国都东郊的乡下人，声称自己有念九九算术口诀的才能，要求拜见齐桓公。
       　　When Huan Gong heard of this, he thought it was very funny and sent an officer to tell the villager:
       　　齐桓公听完  报告  ，觉得很可笑，派传令官告诉乡下人:
       　　"How could you hope to see the King just because you can recite the multiplication table?"
       　　“难道你凭会念九九算术口诀，就想来见国王吗?”
       　　The villager replied:
       　　乡下人回答说:
       　　"I hear that the torch before the palace has been burning for one year, yet nobody came. This is because His Majesty is a king of great talent and bold vision. All the talented men near and far couldn't be certain that His Majesty would have a high opinion of them, so they dared not come to see you. My knowledge of the
       　　multiplication table is truly trivial, but if His Majesty could receive me with courtesy, then His Majesty need not worry that those with real ability and learning would not come."
       　　“我听说，宫前火炬燃烧了一年，也没有人来求见，这是因为国王是个雄才大略的君主，四方人才都以为君主不一定能看得上他们，所以不敢来求见。我的九九算术口诀，的确是微不足道的，但是如果国王能以礼接待我，那么还怕那些有真才实学的贤士能人不愿来吗?”
       　　He then continued:
       　　接着说:
       　　"Mount Tai is huge because it never expels any single small stone; the sea is deep because it gathers together every small stream. The Book of Songs says: `The wise kings of ancient times often went to peasants who cut firewood and grass to ask for their advice. Only this way can you pool the wisdom of the masses."'
       　　“泰山之所以大，那是因为它从来不排斥每一颗小石子;江海之所以深，那是因为它汇集起每一条小溪流。《诗经》中说过，‘古代英明君王有事，都去请教砍柴割草的农夫，只有这样才能集思广
       　　益。”，
       　　Hearing this, Huan Gong of Qi repeatedly nodded assent, and accorded this villager a grand reception. As expected, within one month, many able and virtuous men from all places came one after another to see Huan Gong.
       　　齐桓公听了，连连点头称是，立刻以隆重的礼节，接待了这个乡下人。果然，不出一个月，四方贤士能人都纷纷前来求见齐桓公。
        　　成语寓言故事:Mending the Fold After the Sheep Is Lost亡羊补牢 
       　　In the past, there was a man who kept thirty sheep.
       　　从前，有一个人，养了三十只羊。
       　　One morning, he discovered that one sheep was missing. Where had it gone? Upon examination, he found that his fold was damaged. During the night a wolf had broken into the fold and devoured the sheep.
       　　一天早上，他发现少了一只羊。这只羊到哪儿去了呢?再一查看，原来是他的羊圈坏了。夜里狼闯进羊圈，羊是被狼吃掉的。
       　　His friend said to him:
       　　他的朋友对他说:
       　　"You had better mend the fold quickly."
       　　“快把羊圈  修理  修理吧!”
       　　He said:
       　　他说:
       　　"The sheep had already been devoured by the wolf. What is the use of mending the fold?"
       　　“羊已经被狼吃了，修理羊圈还有什么用呢?”
       　　He did not listen to his friend's advice.
       　　他没有听取朋友的意见。
       　　The following morning, he discovered that during the night the wolf had again broken into the fold and devoured another sheep. Not until then did he realize that his friend was right.
       　　第二天早上，他发现夜里狼又闯进羊圈，又吃掉了一只羊。这时候，他才明白，朋友的意见是对的。
       　　Consequently, he mended the fold at once, and thereafter no more sheep were devoured by the wolf.
       　　于是，他马上把羊圈修理好。从此，他的羊再也没有被狼吃掉过。
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8. 英语的成语故事

画蛇添足
  An official of the ancient State of Chu awarded a pot of wine to his men after the ceremony of Spring Sacrifice. One man said， “We have only one pot of wine. It's not enough for all of us but sufficient for one. Let's determine who'll have the wine by drawing a snake on the ground. He who finishes first will have the wine.”
  The others agreed. Very soon， one man finished his snake. He was about to drink the wine when he saw the others were still busy drawing. He said complacently，“How slowly you are！ I still have enough time to add feet to my snke.” But before he finished the feet， another man finished his snke and grabbed the pot from him， saying，“Whoever has seen a snake with feet？ Yours is not a snke. So the wine should be mine！” He drank the wine. The man adding the feet to the snake had to give in and could only regret his foolishness.
    楚国有一个官员，在春天祭过了祖宗之后，便将一壶酒赏给他的办事人员喝。有人提议：“我们只有一壶酒，肯定不够我们大家喝的，一个人喝倒是绰绰有余。我们每人在地上画一条蛇，谁画得最快，就把这壶酒给他。” 大家都同意了。
  有一个人很快就把蛇画好了。他正打算喝这壶酒时，看见别人都还忙着画呢。他就得意扬扬地说：“你们画得好慢呀，等我再画上几只脚吧！” 他的蛇脚还没画完，另一个人已经把蛇画好了。那人把酒壶夺了过去说：“有谁见过长脚的蛇？你画的不是蛇，这壶酒应该是我的了。”说罢，就喝起酒来。那个给蛇画脚的人没办法，只能懊悔自己的愚蠢。

一鸣惊人
   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 humour, 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.
     战国时代，齐威王即位后做了三年国君，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。

杞人忧天
  In the Spring and Autumn Period, in the State of Qi there was a man who always let his imagination run away with him. One day he even worried that the sky would fall on his head. He was so worried that he could neither eat nor sleep. Later, someone persuaded him that his fears were Ground-less.
    春秋时代，杞国有一个喜欢胡思乱想的人。一天，他竟然想到，天会塌下来，地会陷下去，自己到哪里去安身？这个人越想越害怕，整天愁眉苦脸，坐立不安，白天吃不下饭，晚上睡不着觉。后来有人耐心地开到他，他才放下了心。

精卫填海
  Once upon a time, the youngest daughter of Emperor Yan, legendary ruler of primitive China, went boating on the Eastern Sea. While she was enjoying herself, a strong wind rose on the sea and her boat capsized. Just before she was buried by the surging waves, her spirit turned into a beautiful bird. As it flew over the roaring sea, it cried sadly in the sound "jinwei, jingwei". That was why people called it "Jingwei".
    The bird lived on a mountain near the sea. It hated the sea so much that it decided to fill it up. Every day, it flew to and fro between the mountain and the sea, carrying in a twig or a pebble from the mountain and dropping it into the sea.
    One day, the roaring sea said to Jingwei, "Poor little bird, stop doing that meaningless thing! You'll never fill me up." Jingwei replied, "I'll fill you up no doubt! I will, even if it'll take me thousands of years! I'll fight on until doomsday!"
    The brave little bird kept carrying twigs and pebbles from the mountain to the Eastern Sea without taking a rest.
    From this fable comes the idiom "The bird Jingwei trying to fill the sea". We use it to describe people who are firm and indomitable and will not stop until they reach their goal.
     从前，炎帝（传说中中国原始社会的统治者）的小女儿在东海上划船。正当她划得高兴时，海面上突然升起一阵大风，把她的小船弄翻了。就在她要被汹涌的波浪吞 没时，她的灵魂变成了一只美丽的小鸟。它飞过那咆哮的海面，伤心的叫着"精卫，精卫"的声音。所以人们就叫她"精卫"。
    精卫鸟住在靠海的一座山上。它非常恨大海，所以决心要把它填平。它每天来回于山海之间，把从山上衔来的小树枝和小石子扔在大海里。
    一天，咆哮的大海对精卫说："可怜的小鸟，停止你那无谓的举动吧！你是永远都填不平我的。" 精卫回答说："我当然会把你填平的！即使这需要千千万万年的时间，我也一定会斗争到底，直到你的末日来临！"
    这只勇敢的小鸟继续从山上衔来小树枝和小石子，扔到东海中，从未有片刻休息。
    "精卫填海"这个成语就是由这个传说而来的，形容那些坚定不移，不屈不挠，不到目的决不罢休的人。