成语与故事 Idiom and Story 杨凯茜 Kaixi Yang 赵怡玥 Yiyue Zhao

概览 Overview 成语(chéng yǔ): 东亚特有的语言形式； unique idiomatic expressions found only in eastern Asia; 固定短语，表达固定语意，常带有历史故事和哲学意义； fixed phrases for fixed meanings with historical and philosophical references; 通常由四个汉字组成； usually consists of four Chinese characters; 在文言文中广泛使用； widely used in classic Chinese; 在白话文书写和日常会话中也被大量保留； also frequently used in modern writing Chinese and daily conversations.

主要来源 & 举例 Origins & Examples 中国古代神话故事(Mythical Stories） 夸父逐日 精卫填海 中国古代寓言故事(Fables) 塞翁失马焉知非福 中国古代历史故事(Historical Stories) 完璧归赵 中国古代文学/哲学作品 (Literature/Philosophy) 更上一层楼 自强不息

Shén huà gù shi 神话故事 Mythical stories

夸父追日kuā fù zhú rì 出处 Story 含义 Meaning 《山海经·大荒北经》载：“大荒之中， 有山名曰成都载天。有人珥两黄蛇， 把两黄蛇，名曰夸父。后士生信，信 生夸父。夸父不量力，欲追日景，逮 之于禺谷。将饮河而不足也，将走大 泽，未至，死于此。” 《山海经·海外北经》亦载：“夸父与 日逐走，入日。渴欲得饮，饮于河、 渭。河、渭不足，北饮大泽。未至， 道渴而死。弃其杖，化为邓林（桃 林）。 含义 比喻有宏大的志向，或巨大的力量和 气魄； 也比喻自不量力 举例 Story One day, Kuafu decided to chase and catch the Sun. With each stride he gets closer to the Sun, however, he could never catch up to it.He followed the Sun from the East to the West, draining all rivers and lakes crossing his path as sources of water to quench his burning thirst as he closed in on the star. However, he wasn‘t able to finish his quest because he died of the extreme heat and exhaustion. The wooden club he was carrying grew into a vast forest. In one version, Kua Fu turns into a mountain range. Meaning Describe a person’s great ambition, or enormous power and courage. Also describe a person who fails to obtain his goal because he greatly overestimates himself

精卫填海 jīng wèi tián hǎi 出处 《山海经•北山经》：又北二百里， 曰发鸠之山，其上多柘木。有鸟焉， 其状如乌，文首、白喙、赤足，名 曰精卫，其鸣自詨。是炎帝之少女 名曰女娃，女娃游于东海，溺而不 返，故为精卫。常衔西山之木石， 以堙于东海。漳水出焉，东流注于 河。 含义 旧时比喻仇恨极深，立志报复。 后比喻意志坚决，不畏艰难。 Story Jingwei had been Yandi’s daughter, named Nǚ wá.She drowned in the Eastern Sea when playing there. After death, Nǚ wá metamorphosed into a bird called jīng wèi . jīng wèi was determined to fill up the sea. So she continuously carried a pebble or twig in its mouth and dropped it into the Eastern Sea. Meaning Describe deep-rooted hatred and the determination for revenge (hardly used). More often used to describe a dogged determination and perseverance in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

Yù yán gù shi 寓言故事 fables

塞翁失马焉知非福 sài wēng shī mǎ yān zhī fēi fú 出处 《淮南子•人间训》：近塞上之人有 善术者。马无故亡而入胡。人皆吊之， 其父曰：“此何遽不为福乎？”居数 月，其马将胡骏马而归。人皆贺之， 其父曰：“此何遽不能为祸乎？”家 富良马，其子好骑，堕而折其髀（读 音bì，股，大腿）。人皆吊之，其父 曰：“此何遽不为福乎？”居一年， 胡人大入塞，丁壮者引弦而战，近塞 之人，死者十九，此独以跛之故，父 子相保。 含义 比喻虽一时受到损失但也有可能带来好 处。即好事和坏事在一定条件下可以互 相转化。 Story A man who was good at taming horses lost one of his horse to the barbarian land beyond the border.People all felt sorry for him, however, he said, “How can’t it be a good fortune?” Several months later, the lost horse returned with several other good horses from the barbarian land. People came and congratulated him. But he said, “How can’t this be a bad luck?” Soon his son, who loved riding,broke his leg when riding one of their good horses. Again, people felt sorry, and the man said it could be a good fortune. One year later, the barbarians invaded the border and all young men had to fight and most of them dead. But this man’s son, due to his broken leg, was able to live with his father. Meaning It can be difficult to foresee the twists and turns which compel misfortune to beget fortune, and vice versa.

完璧归赵 wán bì guī zhào Story 举例 出处 《史记•廉颇蔺相如列传》 与赵惠文王同一时期的秦国君主秦昭襄王在得知 和氏璧归属赵国王室后，于前283年向赵国派遣 使者，希望以15座城市来换取和氏璧 赵国出于对秦国的不信任并未立即答应交换和氏 璧，赵国政府在商议后派遣蔺相如为代表携和氏 璧出使秦国。蔺相如经过两次对秦王的试探后认 定秦国是想借其强大的国力为后盾，强取玉璧而 拒绝向赵国割让城池。于是蔺相如派他的副手穿 上平民的服饰，走小路带和氏璧回到赵国。而蔺 相如本人凭借在秦朝朝廷上不卑不亢的表现也平 安回到赵国。 含义 比喻把原物完好地归还物品主人。 举例 一位澳大利亚墨尔本妇女将手提包遗忘在购物车中。 包中的现金和首饰共值11万美元，最终居然完璧归 赵。 A lady from Melbourne lost her hand bag in a shopping centre which contained cash and jewellery amount to $ 110,000. eventually the handbag was returned to her intact. Story The jade disc, He Shi Bi, was stolen from Chu and eventually sold to Zhao; in 283 BC, King Zhaoxiang of Qin offered 15 cities to the State of Zhao in exchange for the jade. Zhao Minister Lin Xiangru was dispatched to send the jade to Qin. When it became clear that Qin would not uphold its side of the bargain, he tricked the king of Qin, claiming that the jade had a scar on it. The marquess of Qin said he could not find it, and handed it to Lin Xiangru and asked him where the scar was. The moment Lin Xiangru took the jade, he threatened to smash the jade unless the king of Qin promised to delay the swap 3 days. Secretly he told his servants to take the jade back to the king of the Zhao . Meaning literally meaning ‘Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao’. but extended to mean 'returning something to its rightful owner'.

文学/哲学 Literature philosophy Wén xué / zhé xué 文学/哲学 Literature philosophy

更上一层楼 gèng shàng yì céng lóu 出处 唐 王之涣 《登鹳雀楼》 白日依山尽，黄河入海流。 欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。 含义 原意是要想看得更远，就要登得更高。 后比喻使已取得的成绩再提高一步。 例句 形势发展了，我们的工作也应该更上一 层楼。 Origin Tang (618-907） Wáng zhī huàn (688-742) On the Stork Tower Bái rì yī shān jìn,  Huánghé rù hǎiliú; yù qióng qiānlǐ mù,  gèng shàng yì céng lóu. Meaning The white sun sets behind the mountains, and the Yellow River flows into the sea. To see a thousand mile view, go up another floor. Example The situation has developed, the object of our task shall be upgraded accordingly.

自强不息 zì qiáng bù xī 出处 含义 举例 Origin Meaning Example 《周易•乾》 天行健，君子以自强不息。地势坤，君 子以厚德载物。 含义 指自觉地努力向上,永远不松劲。 举例 一个国家要想强盛，必须要有自强不 息的精神。 Origin I Ching (classic of changes/book of changes) Meaning (One must) make unremitting efforts to improve oneself. Example If one country wants to be prosperous and strong, she must have the spirit of making unceasing efforts to improve herself.