文字是文化的一种载体，学习任何一个字，不只是了解它们的读音和形状，学英语也是如此。
One evening, Zhao Da passed by a tea house when he came back from cutting firewood.
There were a lot of people drinking tea there. He put the firewood outside and walked into the tea house.
When he finished a cup of tea, he found his firewood on fire. Zhao Da shouted: “Oh no! It’s on fire!”
He took a cup of water, ran out of the door and splashed the water on the fire. Other people in the tea house also took their own cups to fight the fire.
However, instead of being put out, the fire burned even harder.
一天傍晚，赵大砍柴回来，路过一个茶馆，里面坐了很多人，有的在喝茶，有的在乘凉。他就把柴车停放在外面，也走进茶馆。
赵大坐在那刚刚喝完一杯茶，只见茶馆外面一片红光，赵大放下茶杯，走到门口一看：原来是自己的一车柴草着火了，忽忽的光苗直往上窜。
赵大喊起来："不好了，着火啦！"边喊边跑进茶馆，端起桌子上的一杯水，跑到门外往车上的柴草上泼去。茶馆里的人，一听赵大的叫喊声，也都忙着端起自己的茶杯，往车上泼去。
可是，劈里叭啦一阵响声之后，火不但没灭，反而燃烧得更猛烈了。赵大心疼地连声喊道："完了，完了！"
Once a man wanted to go to the south, but his carriage was heading north. A passer-by asked him:"If you are going to south, why is your chariot heading north?" The ma answered, "My horse is good at running, My driver is highly skilled at driving a carriage, ad I have enough money."The man didint consider that the direction might be wrong; the better his conditions were, ther further he was away from his destination.
The idiom derived froim this story indicates that ones action was the opposite effect to ones intention.
从前有一个人，从魏国到楚国去。他带上很多的盘缠，雇了上好的车，驾上骏马，请了驾车技术精湛的车夫，就上路了。楚国在魏国的南面，可这个人不问青红皂白让驾车人赶着马车一直向北走去。
路上有人问他的车是要往哪儿去，他大声回答说：“去楚国！”路人告诉他说：“到楚国去应往南方走，你这是在往北走，方向不对。”那人满不在乎地说：“没关系，我的马快着呢！”路人替他着急，拉住他的马，阻止他说：“方向错了，你的马再快，也到不了楚国呀！”那人依然毫不醒悟地说：“不要紧，我带的路费多着呢！”路人极力劝阻他说：“虽说你路费多，可是你走的不是那个方向，你路费多也只能白花呀！”那个一心只想着要到楚国去的人有些不耐烦地说：“这有什么难的，我的车夫赶车的本领高着呢！”路人无奈，只好松开了拉住车把子的手，眼睁睁看着那个盲目上路的魏人走了。
那个魏国人，不听别人的指点劝告，仗着自己的马快、钱多、车夫好等优越条件，朝着相反方向一意孤行。那么，他条件越好，他就只会离要去的地方越远，因为他的大方向错了。
这个故事告诉我们，无论做什么事，都要首先看准方向，才能充分发挥自己的有利条件；如果方向错了，那么有利条件只会起到相反的作用。
蛙臂挡车
One day, Zhuang Gong, King of the State of Qi, went out in a chariot to hunt.
一天，齐庄公乘车外出打猎。
On the way, he saw a small insect raise both its arms, trying to stop the wheels of the chariot. Zhuang Gong of Qi was curious and asked the driver:
路上，他看见一只小虫举起双臂，想阻挡车轮前进。齐庄公很好奇，就问车夫:
"What kind of insect is it?"
“这是什么虫子？”
"It is a mantis," the driver replied promptly. "This kind of insect only knows how to advance but not retreat, blindly underrating its enemies and overrating its own abilities."
车夫连忙回答:“这是蝗螂。这种虫子只知前进，不知后退，盲目轻敌，不自量力。”
Hearing the driver's reply, Zhuang Gong smiled to himself and remained silent.
听了车夫的回答，庄公暗自发笑，默默无语。
In the reign of Emperor the Second of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.), the prime minister Zhao Gao, obsessed with ambitions, was planning to usurp the throne day and night. But he did not know how many of the ministers in the court were allowed to be ordered about by him and how many of them were his opponents. So he thought out a way to test how high his prestige among the ministers was and also to find out who dared to oppose him.
One day when court was held, Zhao Gao let someone bring a stag to the court and, with a broad smile on his face, he said to Emperor the Second of the Qin Dynasty:"Your Majesty, here is a fine horse Im presenting to you." Looking at the animal, Emperor the Second thought that it was obviously a stag and that it couldnt be a horse. So he said smilingly to Zhao Gao:"Mister Prime Minister, you are wrong. This is a stay. Why do you say it is a horse?" Remaining calm, Zhao Gao said:"Will your Majesty please see more clearly? This really is a horse that covers a thousand li a day." Filled with suspicion, Emperor the Second looked at the stag again and said:"How can the antlers be grown on the head of a horse?" Turning around and pointing his finger at the ministers, Zhao Gao said in a loud voice:"if our Majesty do not believe me, you can ask the ministers."
The nonsense of Zhao Gao made the ministers totally at a lose, and they whispered to themselves: What tricks was Zhao Gao playing? Was it not obvious whether it was a stag or a horse? But when they saw the sinister smile on Zhao Gaos face and his two rolling eyes which were gazing at each of them, they suddenly understood his evil intentions.
Some of the ministers who were timid and yet had a sense of right eousness did not dare to say anything, because to tell lies would make their conscience uneasy and to tell the truth would mean that they would be persecuted by Zhao Gao later. Some ministers with a sense of justice persisted that it was a stag and not a horse. There were still some crafty and fawning ministers who followed Zhao Gao closely in ordinary times. They immediately voiced their support to Zhao Gao, saying to the emperor:"This really in a horse that covers a thousand li a day."
After the event, Zhao Gao punished by various means those ministers with a sense of justice who were not obedient to him, even with whole families of some of those ministers executed.
This story appears in "The Life of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty" in The Historical Records written by Sima Qian. From this story people have derived the set phrase "calling a stag a horse" to mean deliberately misrepresenting some thing and misleading the public.
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。
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。”
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。
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*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！”
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。
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。
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。
天衣无缝
one summer night, when the moon was very bright he suddenly saw a girl descending（下降） slowly from the sky. he observed the girl closely, and found that the dress she was wearing was seamless（无缝的） 。 he was puzzled, and asked why. the girl answered,"heavenly clothes are not sewn with needle and thread."
传说古代太原人郭翰在夏夜里乘凉，见一个仙女从天上下来，她身穿白衣，美丽绝伦。她告诉他她名叫织女。郭翰仔细欣赏织女的衣裳浑然一体，竟看不出一丝线缝，好奇问织女。织女答道：“天衣本非针线为也。”
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.
神话传说，仙女的衣服没有衣缝。比喻事物周密完善，找不出什么毛病。
Long ago, there was a young man who bought many fruits, like pears and dates.
He sat at the roadside to eat them. An old man saw him and said: “Eating too many pears is good for teeth, but bad for your body.”
The man asked: “How about dates?” The old man answered: “The dates are good for body but bad for teeth.”
The young man thought for a while and said: “I've got a good idea! I can eat pears with teeth and don't swallow them. And I can swallow dates without chewing.”
Then he put a date into his mouth and swallowed it immediately. Unluckily, he was choked by the date.
从前，有个人买了一堆水果，有梨儿，也有枣儿，坐在路边上吃。有个老头儿看见了，
对他说：“小伙子，梨儿可不能多吃呀。它虽然对牙齿有好处，可是吃多了对身体不好。”
青年人就问：“枣儿吃多了呢？”老头儿说：“枣儿对身体是好的，可吃多了对牙齿不好，也不能多吃。”
青年人看了看梨儿，又看了看枣儿，想了一会儿，说：“哈哈，我想出了个好办法！我吃梨儿就只用牙齿嚼，不吞到肚子里去。吃枣儿，我就把它整个儿吞下去，不用牙齿嚼。”
说完话，他就拿起一个枣儿放在嘴里，直接吞了下去。没想到，他一下子就被枣儿噎住了。
Once upon a time, there was a day, while he was working in the fields, he saw a hare run into a tree stump accidentally and die of a broken neck.
The farmer took the hare home and cooked a delicious meal for himself.
That night he thought: "I neednt work so hard. All I have to do is wait every day by the stump to pick up the hare that runs into it.
So from then on he gave up farming, and stood by the tree stump waiting for the hare to come and run into it.
Butfromthen on, he never saw another hare run into the tree stump.
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。
农夫把兔子拾回家去，美美地吃了一顿兔肉。
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倒的野兔就好了”。
于是他从此不再耕种，每天在树桩旁等待野兔的到来。
但是，从那以后，他再没有发现一只野兔撞在树桩上。
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。
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。
同舟共济
In the Spring and Autumn period, the State of Wu and the State of Yue didn’t get along well. They had been fighting against each other for years.
People in each country also didn’t have a good relationship. One day, the people of Wu and the people of Yue happened to be on the same boat to cross a river.
At the beginning, they didn’t say a word with each other. When the boat sailed to the center of the river, a strong wind came. In no time, huge waves hit people’s faces.
It seemed that the boat would sink at any time. Just then, they forgot all the hatred between two countries and began to help each other just like they were family. In the end, they safely got to the river bank under everyone’s effort.
春秋战国时，吴、越两国连年交兵，两国百姓彼此在感情上也很难共容。
有一次，吴国人和越国人碰巧共乘一条船渡河。开始时，他们都不理睬对方。
船至河心，狂风骤起，霎时惊涛骇浪迎面扑来，船随时有可能覆没。
此时，他们忘记了仇恨，相互救济，好像一家人一样。由于全船人的齐心协力，终于安全到达对岸。
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（可怕的） monster. It hide behind a tree and spied on the donkey.
When the donkey brayed（叫) ， the tiger was frightened, thinking that the donkey was about to devour(吞食，毁灭） 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: "Its 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.
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。
按图索骥
In the Spring and Autumn Period, a man named Bo Le is an expert in identifying a good horse.
He put his experiences in this area into his book Physiognomy Of Horses, which illustrated all kinds of horses with rich pictures and words.
His son wanted to learn his skill about identifying a good horse. Then he read the book carefully over and over again.
He thought he had mastered the skill.
Once he saw a toad along the road, whose forehead was in accord with the features of a good horse.
Then he rushed to his father and told him he had found a good steed.
Hearing this, Bo Le didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. He had to reply jokingly: “ This horse does too well in jumping, so it’s hard for us to rein it. ”
春秋时期，有个人叫伯乐，他非常善于鉴别马匹，他将自己这方面的经验写成了一本书《相马经》，书中图文并茂地介绍了各类马匹。
他的儿子想学到识马的本领。于是就把父亲的这本书反复诵读，之后，他就以为自己已经掌握了这个本领。
有一次他在路上看到了一只癞蛤 蟆，前额刚好与《相马经》上的好马特征相符，便以为找到了一匹千里马，马上跑去告诉父亲。
伯乐被儿子弄得哭笑不得，就开玩笑的回答说：“这匹马太会跳了，不好驾驭。”
Mr. Li is a good painter. One day he draws a beautiful dragon without eyes.
李先生是位很好的画家。一天画了一条栩栩如生的龙，但是这只龙没有眼睛。
Mr. Zhou looks at the picture and says, “The dragon has no eyes. It isn’t a good picture.”
周先生见了说：“这条龙没有眼睛。这不算一张好画。”
But Mr. Li smiles and says, “If I add eyes to the dragon, it will fly away.”
可是李先生笑着说：“如果我给它加上眼睛，它就会飞走了。”
Mr. Zhou shakes head and says, “You are boasting. I don’t believe you.”
周先生摇头说：“你吹牛。我不相信。”
Mr. Li isn’t angry. He holds the paintbrush and adds eyes to the dragon. Woe! The dragon really flies.
李先生也不生气，只是拿起笔给龙点上眼睛。哇！龙真的飞走了。
One day, the miracle-working doctor Bian Que saw Huan
Gong, King of the State of Cai, and said:
一天，神医扁鹊见到蔡桓公，就说：
"Your Majesty, I think you are ill. But your illness is only
under the skin and can be easily cured. If you do not treat it now,
I'm afraid your condition will become serious."
“大王，我看您身体有病。不过，您的病还只是在皮肤里，不难治好。如果现在不治，恐怕病情就会加重。”
Huan Gong did not believe him. He said:
桓公不相信，说：
"I am not ill."
“我没有病。”
After Bian Que left, Huan Gong said to his subjects around him:
扁鹊走后，桓公对左右的大臣说：
"These doctors always like to treat people who are not ill in order to brag about their superb medical skill."
“这些医生，就是喜欢给没有病的人治病，好夸耀自己医术高明。”
Ten days later, Bian Que saw Huan Gong again. He said:
过了十天，扁鹊又见到蔡桓公，说：
"Your Majesty, your illness has invaded your muscles. If you do not treat it now, your condition will become more serious."
“大王，您的病已侵人到肌体里了，如果现在不治，病情还会加重。”
Huan Gong was displeased with what he heard and did not listen to Bian Que.
桓公听了很不高兴，也不理睬扁鹊。
Another ten days later, Bian Que saw Huan Gong and said anxiously:
又过了十天，扁鹊看见蔡桓公，着急地说：
"Your Majesty, your illness has invaded your stomach and intestines. If your do not treat it, your condition will worsen."
“大王，您的病已经侵人肠胃，再不治的话，病情会恶化的啊！”
Huan Gong still would not listen to Bian Que.
桓公还是没有理睬扁鹊。
Another ten days later, when Bian Que saw Huan Gong, he turned round at once and left. Huan Gong was surprised and sent someone to catch up Bian Que to ask him for the reason. Bian Que said:
再过了十天，扁鹊一见桓公，转身就走。桓公很奇怪，就命人追去询问扁鹊。扁鹊说：
"When a person gets ill and his illness is only under the skin, it can be easily cured with medical plaster or decoction. When it is between the skin and the flesh, it can still be cured by acupuncture; even if it develops into the stomach and intestines, medical decoctions will still be effective. But when it reaches them arrow, then one can only resign to one's fate, for the doctor can no longer do anything about it. Now His Majesty's illness has penetrated into the marrow. I can do nothing to cure him."
“一个人生了病，当病在皮肤表面时，只要用膏药和汤药洗，就能够治好；如果发展到皮肉之间，用针灸还可以治好；即使发展到肠胃里，服用汤药还有疗效；而发展到了骨髓，那么只好听天由命，医生就无能为力了。现在，大王的病已经深人到了骨髓，我再也没有办法治好他了。”
Five days afterwards, Huan Gong felt pain all over his body. He sent for Bian Que. Since Bian Que had anticipated that Huan Gong would ask him for treatment and that he would get into trouble if he couldn't cure the illness, he had escaped to the State of Qin a few days before.
五天以后，蔡桓公全身疼痛，派人去请扁鹊来给他治病。扁�
Soon afterwards, Huan Gong of Cai died of his illness.
不久，蔡桓公就病死了。
in ad 383, the king of former qin （秦朝）， fu jian （fú jiān 苻坚）， led a huge army to attack eastern jin.
公元383年，秦王苻坚率领步兵、骑兵90万，攻打江南的晋朝。
after losing the first round of fighting, fu jian looked down from a city wall, and was terrified when he saw the formidable battle array of the eastern jin army.
在一轮战败后，苻坚从城墙俯视周遭，当他看到势不可破的东晋部队，他感到很害怕。
and then looking at the mountains around, he mistook the grass and trees for enemy soldiers.
此时，苻坚在寿春城上望见晋军队伍严整，士气高昂，再北望八公山，只见山上一草一木都像晋军的士兵一样，于是更加恐慌。
as a result, when the nervous fu jian led his army into battle, it suffered a crushing defeat.
后来苻坚全军覆没，带着少数残余的队伍逃回去了。
子罕拒玉
A farmer in the state of Song once got a piece of stone with jade init.
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 toaccept it. The farmer explained, “It looks like just a stone, butthere is jade inside. It actually is a piece of treasure and suitable forhonorable men like you, not for us common 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 I think to have the virtue of declining things that do not belongto 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。”
one summer night, when the moon was very bright he suddenly saw a girl descending（下降） slowly from the sky. he observed the girl closely, and found that the dress she was wearing was seamless（无缝的） 。 he was puzzled, and asked why. the girl answered,"heavenly clothes are not sewn with needle and thread."
传说古代太原人郭翰在夏夜里乘凉，见一个仙女从天上下来，她身穿白衣，美丽绝伦。她告诉他她名叫织女。郭翰仔细欣赏织女的衣裳浑然一体，竟看不出一丝线缝，好奇问织女。织女答道：“天衣本非针线为也。”
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.
神话传说，仙女的衣服没有衣缝。比喻事物周密完善，找不出什么毛病。
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 peoples attention and reduce their discontent with him in order to consolidate his dictatorship.
The Duke of the State of Lu leant about Zhou Xus usurpation of state power and his ambitious plan, he asked a senior official, "What do you think about Zhou Xus move? "The official answered, "He indulges in wars , bringing his people much disaster. He wont get their support. And hes 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, hell 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.
春秋时期，卫国的王子州吁杀死了他的哥哥卫桓公，成为了卫国的国君。州吁是个暴君，他压迫百姓，到处侵略别的国家。他想利用战争来分散百姓的注意力，减少人们对他的不满，巩固他的专政。
鲁国的君王知道州吁篡夺了王位，还想吞并其他国家，就问他手下的一名官员："� 人民不会支持他。他这个人又反复无常，身边没有什么亲信。他不可能实现自己的野心。而且，战争就象火。无休止地打仗，最后，火会烧到自己身上。 "
果然，不到一年，卫国人民就在陈国的帮助下*了州吁的统治，并处死了他。
后来，人们用这个成语来比喻干害人的勾当，最后受害的还是自己。
A young man ran a business in the market.
One day, he held up a shield and said proudly: “My shield is very strong.
It can stop any spear in the world.” Then he held up his spear and bragged: “My spear is very sharp. No matter how strong a shield is, my spear can pierce it.”
People all around here laughed when they heard the words of the young man.
One of them asked: “So, according to what you said, your spear is the sharpest. No matter how strong a shield is, your spear can pierce it. And your shield is also the strongest.
No matter how sharp a spear is, it can’t pierce your shield. Well, what will happen if I pierce your shield with your spear?"
The young man was too embarrassed to say anything.
古时候，有一个人，他既卖矛又卖盾。一天，他在集市上叫卖，非常得意。他举起他的盾说：“我的盾非常坚固。无论怎样好的矛，都戳不穿它！”说完，他又举起他的矛夸口说：“我的矛非常锋利。无论怎样坚固的盾都能戳进去！”
站在旁边的人听了，都暗暗地发笑。
有人问他：“照你这样说，你的矛是最锋利的。无论怎样硬的盾都戳得进去。你的盾又是最坚固的。无论怎样锋利的矛，也别想戳进去。
那么，现在我用你的矛来戳你的盾，看看结果会怎样呢？”
那个人窘得连一句话也答不上来。
fail the exam
名落孙山
In the Song Dynasty (宋朝) there was a joker called Sun Shan(孙山).
宋朝有一个很幽默的人，他叫孙山。
One year he went to take the imperialexamination, and came bottomof the listof successfulcandidates.
有一年他去参加考试，公布名单时他是最后一名。
Back in his hometown, one of his neighbor asked him whetherthe neighbor's son had also passed.
回到家，他的邻居向他打听自己的儿子考得怎么样。
Sun Shan said, with a smile:"Sun Shan was the last on the list. Your son came after Sun Shan."
孙山笑着对邻居说：“孙山考了最后一名，你儿子的名字还在孙山的后面呢。”
The peopleused this idiom to indicatefailing in an examination or competition.
人们用“名落孙山”来比喻考试没有考上或者选拔没有被录取。
Look at the Sky from the Bottom of a Well
坐井观天
There is a frog. He lives in a well and he never goes out of the well. He thinks the sky is as big as the mouth of the well.
有一只青蛙住在井底，他从来没有去过井外面。他以为天空就和井口一样大。
One day a crow comes to the well. He sees the frog and says, “Frog, let’s have a talk.”
一天， 一只乌鸦飞到井边，看见青蛙，就对它说：“青蛙，咱们聊聊吧。”
Then the frog asks, “Where are you from?”
青蛙就问他：“你从哪里来？”
“I fly from the sky,” the crow says.
“我从天上上来。”乌鸦说。
The frog feels surprised and says, “The sky is only as big as the mouth of the well. How do you fly from the sky?”
青蛙惊讶地说：“天空就只有这井口这么大，你怎么会从天上来？ ”
The crow says, “The sky is very big. You always stay in the well, so you don’t know the world is big.”
乌鸦说：“天空很大。只不过你一直呆在井里，所有不知道世界很大。”
The frog says, “I don’t believe.”
青蛙说：“我不相信。”
But the crow says, “You can come out and have a look by yourself.”
乌鸦说：“你可以出来，自己看看嘛。”
So the frog comes out from the well. He is very surprised. How big the world is!
于是青蛙来到井外。他十分惊讶，原来世界这么大！
A farmer in the state of Song once got a piece of stone with jade init.
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 toaccept it. The farmer explained, “It looks like just a stone, butthere is jade inside. It actually is a piece of treasure and suitable forhonorable men like you, not for us common 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 I think to have the virtue of declining things that do not belongto 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。”
A farmer in the state of Song once got a piece of stone with jade init.
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 toaccept it. The farmer explained, “It looks like just a stone, butthere is jade inside. It actually is a piece of treasure and suitable forhonorable men like you, not for us common 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 I think to have the virtue of declining things that do not belongto 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。”
惊弓之鸟
In the Warring States Period, there was a man in the State of Wei called Geng Lei. One day he said to the king: 'I can shoot down birds by simply plucking my bowstring.' When the king expressed doubt, Geng Lei pointed his bow at a wild goose flying in the sky, twanged the bowstring, and the goose fell to the ground. Geng Lei said, 'This goose has been hurt in the past. Hearing the twang of the bowstring, it assumed that it was doomed. So it simply gave up trying to live.
战国时期（公元前403―221年中国中原地区各诸侯国连年争战的时代）魏国有个名叫更羸的人。一天，他对国王说：“我只要拉开弓，空射一下，就能把天上的鸟射下来。”国王不相信。更羸便对准天上飞来的一只雁射去，果真那只雁听到拉弦的声音就掉了下来。国王感到很奇怪。更羸说，“那是一只受过伤的雁。它一听到我拉开弓弦的声响，就惊慌得支持不住，自然要掉下来了。”
This idiom means that if one has been frightened in the past one's will may become paralysed in a similar situation.
“惊弓之鸟”这个成语比喻受过惊恐之后，有一点动静就特别害怕。
悬梁刺股
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, a man named Sun Jing was a famous politician. As a young man, he was diligent in study and often forgot eating and sleeping. When he was reading, he tied his hair to the roof beam with a rope. Therefore, when he dozed, he would feel pain and wake up as his hair was pulled upward by the rope, so that he would go on studying.
Su Qin in the Warring States Period was another example like Sun Jing. He felt sleepy when he was reading, so he took an awl and stabbed it into his own legs. Thus, the sudden pain would wake him up, and he could continue reading.
【故事翻译】
东汉时，有一个叫孙敬的年轻人，孜孜不倦勤奋好学，从早读到晚很少休息，有时候到了三更半夜的时候很容易打�
战国时期的苏秦是一个有名的政治家，但是他在年轻的时候学问并不多，到了好多地方都没有人关注，即使有雄心壮志也得不到重用，于是他下定决心发奋图强努力读书。由于他经常读书读到深夜，疲倦到想要打盹的时候就用事先准备好的锥子往大腿上刺一下，这样突然的痛感使他猛然清醒起来，振作精神继续读书。
古有孙敬头悬梁，苏秦锥刺股，来告诫后人要认真读书学习。