成语英语（1）

如何巧学善用英语成语之一

One of the most difficult aspects of learning any foreign language is being able to understand and use a wide range of idioms. The English language has over 15，000 idioms and native speakers use them very frequently，often without realising it themselves. This can make communication with native speakers confusing.

在任何语言学习中最困难的一个方面就是，要能理解并运用大量成语。

英语有15000多个成语，而且本族语使用者常常在不自觉的情况下频繁使用它们。这就造成了与本族语使用者的沟通不畅。

What is an idiom？ An idiom is a group of words which，when used together，has a different meaning from the one which the individual words have. For example：

什么是成语呢？一个成语就是一组词，当结合在一起使用时，其意与单个词语所表达的意思均不相同。例如：

-How do you know that Sid and Nancy have separated

你怎么知道席德和南希分手了？

-I heard it on the grapevine.

我是从小道消息听到的。

Of course，the second speaker does not mean he heard the news about John by putting his ear to a grapevine！He is conveying the idea visually of information spreading around a widespread network，similar to a grapevine.

成语英语（2）

英语成语小故事1：破釜沉舟

during the late years of the qi dynasty(221-206bc), xiang yu led a rebellion. after crossing the zhang river, xiang yu ordered his men to sink all their boats and break their cooking pots.

he issued each soldier three days' rations(给养) and warned them that there was no way to retreat; the only thing they could do to survive was to advance and fight.

after mine fierce battles, the qin army was finally defeated.

this idiom is used to indicate one's firm determination to achieve one's goal at any cost.

英语成语小故事2:骑虎难下

Yan Jian was the regent(摄政王) of the last king of Northern Zhou(557-581).

His wife advised him: "Northern Zhou is dying. Now it is as if you are riding on the back of a tiger. It will be dangerous to dismount(下马，下车) . You can do nothing but continue."

Yan Jian thought this quite reasonable. Later, he founded the Sui Dynasty, and united China once more.

This idom is used as a metaphor meaning that one is in a difficult situation and cannot help but ontinue to pursue one's sourse.

英语成语小故事3:名落孙山

In the Song Dynasty(960-1279) there was a joker called Sun Shan.

One year he went to take the imperial examination, and came bottom of the list of successful candidates. Back in his hometown, one of his neighbours asked him whether the neighbour's son had also passed.

Sun Shan said, with a smile: "Sun Shan was the last on the list, your son came after Sun Shan."

Later, people used this idiom to indicate failing in an examination or competition.

英语成语小故事4：黔驴技穷

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.

成语英语（3）

爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog.

百闻不如一见 Seeing is believing.

比上不足，比下有余 worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best,but be better than the worst

笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start.

不眠之夜 white night

不以物喜，不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personal losses

不遗余力 spare no effort; go all out; do one's best

不打不成交 "No discord, no concord.

拆东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul

辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new

大事化小，小事化了 try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all

大开眼界 open one's eyes; broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener

国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace

过犹不及 going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little

功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits.

好了伤疤忘了疼 once on shore, one prays no more

好事不出门，恶事传千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.

和气生财 Harmony brings wealth

活到老，学到老 One is never too old to learn.

既往不咎 let bygones be bygones

金无足赤,人无完人 Gold can't be pure and man can't be perfect.

金玉满堂 Treasures fill the home