值得收藏的英语成语故事11篇
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。下面就是小编给大家带来的值得收藏的英语成语故事11篇，希望能帮助到大家!
一、贪得无厌
One day a man walking on the road met a celestial, who happened to be an old friend of his.
一天，有个人走在路上遇到一个神仙。原来，这个神仙还是他的老朋友呢。
Seeing that his life was hard, the celestial pointed with his finger at a brick on the roadside, which turned into a gold brick at once. And he gave it to the man.
神仙看到他生活很困难，就用手指朝路边的一块砖头一指，砖头立即变成了金砖。神仙把金砖送给了他。
But the man was not satisfied. The celestial pointed again with his finger at a large stone lion at the gate, which at once turned into a gold lion. And he gave it to him too. But the man still complained it was not enough.
他并不满足。神仙又把手指一指，门前的一尊大石狮马上变成了一尊金狮，也送给了他。可是他仍旧嫌少。
The celestial asked him:"My friend, how much will be enough for you? What should I do to satisfy you?"
神仙问他:“朋友，你要多少才能满足?我怎么做你才满意?”
The man hummed and hawed and said:"I want your finger."
二、画龙点睛
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。
三、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。
四、后来居上
Ji Anlived at the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24). He was respected for being upright and just and for daring to speak the truth. He did not bother about amall matters in personal behaviour and in being an official. He was particular about actual effects and ,although he did not cause a stir ,he could keep the prefecture he governed in perfect order. Because of this. the imperial court transferred him to the central government from being the perfect of the Donghai Prefecture to being a commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officals.
汲黯是西汉武帝时代人，以刚直正义、敢讲真话而受人尊重。他为人和做官都不拘小节，讲求实效。虽然表面上不那么轰轰烈烈，却能把一个郡治理得井井有条，因此，朝廷把他从东海太守调到朝廷当主爵都尉——一种主管地方吏任免的官职。
Once,Emperor Wudi said that he would implement the policy of benevolence and justice of Confucianism and would do good turns to the people.Emperor Wudi Had hardly finished his remards when Ji An said that there was no need for the emperor to say so.Why should the emperor bother,Ji An said, about pretending to implement the policy of benevolence and justice since he was so greedy and avaricious within himself? This choked the emperor off. The emperor suddenly Changed his countenance and declared the meeting over. All the civilian and military officers at court were breathless with anxiety for fear that Ji An might bring disaster upon himself because of this. After returning, Emperor Wudi said to the people around him that Ji An was a little too rude and too straightforward.
有一次，汉武帝说要实行儒家的仁义之政，为老百姓办好事了。没等皇帝把话说完，汲黯就说：“陛下内心里那么贪婪多欲，表面上却要装得实行仁政，这是何苦呢?”一句话把皇帝噎了回去。汉武帝登时脸色大变，宣布罢朝，满朝文武都为汲黯捏着一把汗，担心他会因此招来大祸。武帝回到宫里以后，对身边的人说，汲黯这个人也未免太粗太直了。
For this reason ,Ji An was never promoted again. When he was the commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officials, both Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were low -ranking lfficials of little importance. Later ,they were promoted continuously. Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and Zhang Tang became the imperial censor. However, JiAn's post remained thesame. One day, Ji An said to Emperor Wudi that the way the emperor used his ministers was just like piling up firewood, which meant that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers. Of course, Emperor Wudi could see that Ji An was complaining. So,turning to his ministers, Emperor Wudi said, "It is true that no one can stop learning.You see, Ji An is making more and more indiscreet remarks."
从此以后，汲黯的官职再也没有提升。他当主爵都尉的时候，公孙弘、张汤都还是不起眼的小官，后来，他们一个劲儿住上升，公孙弘当上了丞相，张汤做上了御史大夫，可他汲黯还蹲在原地没动窝。有一天，汲黯对武帝说，陛下使用群臣，跟码劈柴一样，是“后来者居上”啊!汉武帝当然听得出这是发牢骚。于是，转脸对臣下们说：“人真是不能不学习啊!你们听汲黯说话，越来越离谱了!”
This story comes from The Historical Records. Later generations use the set phrase "the latecomers surpass the old-timers " to indicate that successors can cxcel the predecessors, which is quite different from the original idea when Ji An said that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.
故事出自《史记·汲郑列传》。成语“后来居上”，往往指后起的可以胜过先前的。和汲黯说这话的原意，大不相同。
五、指鹿为马
In Qin dynasty, there was a powerful and evil counselor named Zhao Gao。
在秦朝，有个很得势的奸臣叫赵高。
Zhao Gao wanted to rebel, but he didn't know how many people in the court would stand by his side。
赵高想造反，但是又不知道群臣中有多少人会支持他。
So he worked out a way to test the people。
于是他想了个办法来测试。
He presented a deer as a tribute to the emperor in front of the court, and said that it was a swift horse。
他在群臣面前送了一头鹿给皇上，并说这是一匹千里马。
The emperor not accepting his statement said, "This is obviously a deer."
皇上不信，说“这明明是鹿啊。”
Then, Zhao Gao took this opportunity to ask the court, "Is this a deer or a horse?"
然后赵高借机问各位大臣，“这是鹿还是马?”
In the court, those who didn't dare to go against Zhao Gao agreed with him and said that it was a horse, those who dared to go against Zhao Gao said that it was a deer。
在大臣中，不敢反抗赵高的都赞同说是马，敢于反对赵高的说是鹿。
Later, Zhao Gao remembered the counselors who didn't agree with him and persecuted them to solidify his power。
后来，赵高记住了这些反对他的人并加以迫害，以巩固自己的势力。
This story is still popular even today. People use this idiom to describe someone who calls white black。
这个故事流传至今，人们用这个成语来形容一个人颠倒黑白。
六、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. xiaogushi8.com 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 you.xiaogushi8.com 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. xiaogushi8.com 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 you.xiaogushi8.com 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。”
七、卧薪尝胆
During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476BC), the State of Wu launched an attack against the State of Yue. The King of Wu was seriously wounded and soon died. His son Fu Chai became the new King. Fu was determined to get revenge. He drilled his army rigidly until it was a perfect fighting force. Three years later, he led his army against the State of Yue and caught its king Gou Jian. Fu took him to the State of Wu.
春秋时期，吴国和越国之间进行了一场战争，吴王不幸受了重伤，不久就死了。他的儿子夫差作了吴国的新国王，他发誓要替父亲报仇。于是，他严格的操练他的士兵，把他们训练成了一支非常厉害的军队。三年以后，他对越国发动了战争，抓住了越王勾践，把他带回了吴国。
In order to avenge his father's death, Fu let him live in a shabby stone house by his father's tomb and ordered him to raise horses for him. Gou pretended to be loyal to Fu but he never forgot his humiliation. Many years later, he was set free. Gou secretly accumulated a military force after he went back to his own state. In order to make himself tougher he slept on firewood and ate a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed every night. At the same time he administered his state carefully, developing agriculture and educating the people. After a few years, his country became strong. Then Gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe out the State of Wu.
为了复仇，夫差让勾践住在他父亲墓旁的破石屋里天天看墓、喂马。勾践表面上服从，心里面却想着复仇。几年以后，勾践被放回越国。他立刻开始秘密聚集一支军队。为了提醒自己不要忘了报仇，他睡在柴上，还每天在吃饭睡觉前尝一尝苦胆。同时，他专心治理国家，大力发展农业，加强民众教育。几年后，越国又变得强大起来，然后，勾践抓住一个适当的机会消灭了吴国。
Later, people use it to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen one's resolve to realize one's ambition.
后来，人们用它来形容人刻苦自励以达到自己定下的目标。
八、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。
九、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。
十、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。
十一、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。
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